The Prince, The Battle and The Poem
by Alice J. Nightshade
Summary: Leaving friends behind, Alice travels back to London with the Hatter to search for Stayne and for answers. Why is her mother still not awake? What happened to the story Aunt Imogene started long ago? And has she really gotten over her feelings for Hatter?
1. Mr Grey's Tea Shoppe

**Chapter 1, in The Prince, the Battle and, The Poem (I did end up changing the name, go figure!) Please enjoy and love it even though I have no idea where I'm going with this!**

"Move out of the way!" Someone yelled, as Alice narrowly dodged out of the way of a busy driver, dark horses stomping their way down the cobbled stone streets, with many to follow. "You'll loose your head if you keep being careless like that!"

_Already lost it. _Alice thought, pulling her blue hood off her head and shook out her blonde curls. She'd nearly forgotten how cruel the London drivers could be, and how dangerous the streets could be.

She smiled at the thought, it was much easier then fighting a jabberwocky, that was true, although some of her fellow townsfolk had the same cruelness inside them.

"Alice!" Someone called, and Alice looked up, as a man with dark coppery hair appeared by her side, tugging at the ends of his new jacket. "Well, do I look like an average London man?"

"Perfectly ordinary." Alice told him, a small smile on her face. "I believe you fit into this town more then I do."

"'ay," Hatter replied with a wink of his green eyes. "But looks can be deceiving."

It was so hard to believe that only an hour ago, her friend had agreed to go with her to London and help her find Stayne and help her mother. Though, Alice didn't tell him much about the Aunt Imogene part, that was much to confusing, even for her. But she would tell him, eventually.

"Although," hatter said, ruffling his hair, dully. "I feel absolutely bare. Are you sure I can't wear my hat?"

"Positive," Alice told him, for the fifth or sixth time. Imagining hatter wearing his hat in the middle of town….it was a strange thing. Almost as strange as all the looks he would be getting if he wore it. "Unless you want to get sent to the-"

Alice stopped and bit her lip, while Hatter gazed at her curiously. "Um…" She looked down at her hands and then around her city. "Would you like to get something to eat?" She hadn't eaten anything since the party and she was starving, and was especially craving one of Mr. Gray's breakfast cakes.

Hatter smiled a grin that would have been his gapped tooth smile if he didn't have a new mouth. "I thought you'd never ask."

She led them down to Mr. Gray's tea Shoppe, a place where she and Margret used to get breakfast every Sunday morning when they were growing up, at least until their father had died. This would always be his place, and now it was Alice's. Ad they walked through the door, Alice was over swept with the smell of Chamomile, instantly pulling her back to the last day she'd been here, with Chess and Nicholas.

Before Stayne came back to her, pretending to be Hatter.

"What is that?" Hatter asked, inhaling deeply the sent of chamomile and other baking goods.

"That is Mr. Gray's Tea shopper." Alice told him, leading him towards the exact table she and Chess had shared, overlooking the window. "It's the best place to get breakfast in London."

A short girl with dark brown hair and lots of freckles came to take their order, wearing a green dress with short sleeves and a white apron tied around her waist.

"Good Moring, everyone." She said in a pure London accent. "Might I recommend the Earl Gray tea, our specialty, with some delicious blueberry scones?" She grinned and Alice saw that her teeth were slightly crooked.

"Two chamomile teas please, and four breakfast cakes." Alice said, giving the girl her menu without looking at it while the Hatter did the same a little more hesitantly.

Once the girl left, the Hatter leaned in and whispered to Alice. "What's chamomile?"

"It's one of my favorite teas," Alice admitted, at least not counting all the better ones in Underland.

"Ah," Hatter replied, and leaned back, letting his eyes drift around the room. While he did so, Alice studied him for the first time. He looked much different then he did before, even though he had similar hair and eyes. His skin wasn't as pale and he had a healthy dose of freckles much like their waitress scattered over his nose. His dark coppery curls fell into his eyes endearingly and his smile was crooked.

It was true; he could be mistaken for an average gentleman except he was the maddest man she'd met in her entire life.

"Alice?" Hatter asked, and Alice blinked, shaking her head and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Why was she being so flustered? He'd just called her by her name?

"Yes?" Alice asked, and Hater grinned at her.

"You realize that this is one of the longest times we've had a conversation without fighting in….well weeks actually." Hatter smiled, playfully at Alice who blushed even though hr mind was dead set against it.

"That's right." Alice realized, and cocked her head at her friend. "Do you ever wonder why we fought so much?"

Hatter shrugged. "I've never really thought about it."

Alice nodded in agreement, but she really had. She was still haunted by all the things he'd said to h rover the course of the past few weeks. Ever insult, every yell every bad word against her was like a fresh burn or a wound that would never close. _That's why we gotten to forget the last. _

"Here you go!" The waitress said, pulling Alice back to the present as the younger girl placed two plates down in front of them and two cups of steaming chamomile tea. "Call me if you need anything 'alright?"

"Of course," Hatter said and he truly meant it, maybe he didn't know that every waiter or waitress said that to the customers.

Alice picked up one of the cakes and inhaled deeply. The smell of freshly baked bread and sweet jam from inside ticked her nostrils and she took a deep sigh of happiness. She's missed these most of all, when she left for Underland and took an eager bite.

Hatter followed suit and his eyes lit up as he took a deep bite of the pastry and Alice started to laugh when he got the jam all over his mouth.

"Next time," Alice said, passing him a napkin from across the table. "Take a smaller bite."

Hatter nodded eagerly and blanked, seeing something behind them.

Alice was about to turn when she heard a familiar voice call out her name. "Well, Alice there you are!"

**Cliff hanger, we are obviously getting off to a good start? Who's calling her name? Why is hatter pale? Where the hell are Margret and Lowell? All good questions with no answers. Review! **


	2. Always Running

**Chapter 2 is now here! Enjoy as always! **

"Alice Kingsley!" The man said again. He was pale, with dark brown hair falling over his left eye with a crooked grin. Alice was about to scream when her mind flickered recognition for who he really was.

"Dr. Peters," Alice said warmly and stood as the doctor walked over to their table a smile on his face. "It's good to see you."

Dr. Peters smiled at Alice and then at Tarrant who was still pale. "It's good to see you too, Alice. I've been wondering when you'd return."

"Excuse me?" Alice asked, but he was already talking over her.

"Your mother's doing well too, well…" His smile faded for a moment. "As well as a coma patient can be, but still. I'm sure she can't wait to see you." He nodded to Tarrant and then to Alice. "I'll see you soon, alright Alice?"

"Um, okay." Alice stammered and the Doctor diapered as quickly as he had come and finally Alice sat back down into the chair, still stunned.

"I take it that isn't Stayne then." Hatter whispered. "A friend of yours?"

"He's our family doctor, but I never thought that he would remember me leaving." Alice admitted, picking up her cup of tea and taking a soft sip. Hatter looked at her curiously for a second then picked up his own cup, except he winced at the taste. 'Too sweet?"

"No, too bitter." Hatter explained, putting his cup down and shaking his head. "Is this what you call sweet tea here?"

Alice grinned, and shrugged. "I always liked it, though it isn't as good as some of the tea in Underland." 

"You can say that gain." Hatter told her with a grin.

Someone paid their bill at the table next to them but left their news paper and Alice's eyes trailed over to it and then her eyes caught sight of the date. "Oh god!"

"What?" Hatter asked but Alice was already reaching for the news paper and staring at the date.

'The date!" Alice cried.

"Well," Hatter said, clearly confused. "What about it?"

"Today's the day I'm supposed to be at a meeting Lord Ascot about our delayed trip. We'd ,moved it up the day before I left for Underland." Alice stood and fished out currency to pay for the tea and breakfast cakes she'd kept while in Underland. "I've got to go, right now!"

"Alright," Hatter replied, taking one last bite of his cake and following Alice as she ran out the door, hastily dodging London carriages and other passer biers. "Alice, stop!"

"I can't, I'm running late!" Alice called over her shoulder, jumping out of the way as someone pushed a stroller with a baby inside.

"You sound like McTwisp!" Hatter told her, running after her and finally he caught up with her, grabbing her by the arm and making her halt. "Now, where exactly do we need to go?"

"To lord Ascot's Manor." Alice explained taking a deep breath. "We passed it when we came here, but if I'd known what today was we would have stayed!"

"Alice," Hatter said calmly. "That's nearly a two mile walk. It took us an hour just to get here; you'll never be there in time."

"I don't care, I need to get there!" Alice told him. "If I don't then they'll cancel there next trip to China, and I'll never have the opportunity to get it back!"

"But, Alice," Hatter asked. "How are we going to get their then?"

Alice took a deep breath then shook her head. "I…I don't even know anymore."

Hatter looked away from Alice, and then his eyes trailed over a horse that wasn't hooked up properly to its carriage. "But, I might."

. . .

"Gone?" Mallymkun repeated. "Whatta you mean gone?"

"Gone, Mallymkun." Chessuer said from above her. Vanished, absent, diapered, missing, not here-"

"I _know _what it means, Chess."Mally snapped, glaring at the cat that had just appeared next to her before she turned back to Mirana. "How could they be gone?"

"They left this morning while we were all still sleep, Mally." Irisa said, putting her head on her chin, obviously dazed. "In fact, I think I might just go back."

"What?" Mally cried, jumping from the table to Irisa's lap. "Your best friend and your husband are gone and you just want to go back to sleep?"

Once everyone had woken up, Mirana had called them al lo the same room they'd had the meeting in last night and told them that their champion and their friend the Hater had left.

Irisa shrugged and nodded. "It seems I do, Mallmkun."

Mally threw her paws into the air. "You're impossible."

"So, if there gone…" Nicholas started. "What do we do now?"

Irisa sighed and sat up suddenly, making Mally lose her balance for a moment before she jumped back onto the table. "Didn't you read your letter, Nicholas? We get ready to fight is what we do."

Nicholas rolled his eyes and turned back to Mirana. "Where are Margret and Lowell right now? Shouldn't they be at this meeting too?"

"They're already gone, Nicholas." Margret told him.

"Does anything happen while were actually awake?" Mally asked to no one in particular and they all ignored her.

"Then there's no way we can get back to London then." Nicholas said, bitterly. "At least not until Stayne returns first."

"I'm sorry, Nicholas." Mirana said, putting a hand on his arm. "But, Alice wanted you to be here in Underland where you would be safer and you would be able to learn to fight for the battle ahead."

"It's true," Irisa agreed, turning towards Nicholas. "And I'm s really good teacher, so you might even be able to fight Alice when we're done."

Nicholas grinned. "That's true. So, when do we actually start our training?"

"I suggest," Mirana interrupted, and both Nicholas and Irisa turned to her. "That we start today. Maybe even right now, in fact."

"Brilliant!" Irisa said, standing and skipping around the table to Nicholas and grabbing him by the arm, dragging him towards the exit. "Wish us luck!"

"Good luck, you two!" Mirana called out as the door shut behind them.

"He has no idea what he's in for with Irisa, does he?" Mally whispered to Mirana.

Mirana smiled and shook her head. "No, I don't think he does."

"Well, then." Mally grinned and pulled out her needle. "I certainly want to watch."

**Well, how are Alice and Hatter going to get to Lord Ascot's Manor in time? Who knows. Oh wait, I do. :P Ha, ha but you don't so you'll all have to be patient. **


	3. Two Requests

**Chapter 3, and I'm not going to say a lot so just get to reading! **

"No," Alice said to herself, leaping off thee horse as its hooves finally stopped along the stone the walkway where, not even ten feet away form them, the ascot manor loamed over them. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no."

"Alice?" Hatter asked but she was already running.

_Please let them not be here yet, _Alice thought, pulling open the door to the manor and running inside before she could hear Tarrant call out behind her. _Please let them be late. And please, please, please keep the horse Hatter stole hidden. _

Sure, Alice felt extremely guilty for stealing a horse. Or at least, watching hatter walk over to where the horse was standing, jump on it and run to her before she could even cry out and then scoop her up, pulling her behind him and then leading the horse back the way they came.

And sure Alice wanted to yell at him, she was absolutely furious! You couldn't just steal a horse in broad daylight, no matter the circumstances! But instead this thought was buried by other more prominent thoughts, like what she was going to do when she actually got to the board meeting.

_What would Lord Ascot think? _Alice wondered. Would he be mad at her for disappearing for, what was it? Three days? A week, she wasn't absolutely sure but she knew that she had to be there for this project to have any significance. She _was_ Charles Kingsley daughter after all, and she had the same mad opinions as her father to prove it.

"Alice?" Someone asked, and Alice turned suddenly, her wild blonde curls obscuring her view for a moment before her gaze settled on Hamish.

Poor Hamish. Alice had nothing against the man, even though he acted quite curiously around her after the first few weeks their engagement was, well declined but now they seemed to get along well enough. Even though he was staring at her like she was something unpleasant and probably a hassle to deal with.

"Alice, what are you wearing?" Hamish asked his eyes wide as he took in her odd blue dress and her long soft matching cloak. It wasn't common London attire, but it couldn't look that odd, at least to Alice. "Aren't you supposed to be-"

"Alice!" someone called from the end of the hallway, and suddenly Hatter was jogging into view, or at least the man who had still had Hatter's unmistakable voice. "Alice why did you run away?"

"Excuse me, sir." Hamish interrupted, and Hatter turned, his eyes landing on Hamish for the first time, and from the way his eyes narrowed slightly, Alice knew that their relationship was not going to be an easy one. "Might I ask who _you_ are and what you are doing in my father's manor?"

Before Alice could blink, Hatter was smiling and held out a hand for Hamish to take. "Tarrant Hightopp, sir." He said, flashing a smile that would serve Chess proud to Hamish. "I'm a friend of Alice's, you see. And she's told me all about the work she's been doing in China so I asked her if I could come along with her to the meeting." He gave Alice a sideways glance which said. _Follow my lead and we'll be able to out with this fool _and Alice found it hard for her not to smile herself.

"Well," Hamish said, obviously a bit flustered. Apparently he'd never met someone as enthusiastic as Hatter before, but he recovered quickly. "If Miss Kingsley believes it's alright, I'm sure my father will have to comply." He gave Alice a glance that, although quick still made the blood in her veins run cold. "Everyone has to, don't they?"

Alice winced. _Maybe he _was_ still bitter about the way she'd handled things in the gazebo, but at least she was honest. And she wasn't being as rude as he was now, in front of a friend of hers no less. _

"And what," Hatter said calmly, but his face was fixed in a hard glare. "Is that supposed to mean?"

If Hamish was intimated or surprised by Hatter's suddenness, he did better to hide it then before, because he leaned in slightly and said with utter calm. "It means, my good sir, that Alice is a bully of sorts. She believes that she and only she is always right and deserves to have final say in everything, even things that she has absolutely no business to be a part of. And that because of her arrogance she believes that she can get away with any misdeeds she may do and her wrong doings have no consequences."

Alice felt her jaw drop. _How could he say that? _She thought, shutting her mouth and taking a calm even breath even though she wanted nothing more to shout at him and do a few other things that Mirana wouldn't exactly approve of. But, Irisa might.

"Hamish," Alice started, trying to be rational but she was interrupted by a low whimper, almost like that of a child. Instantly, she turned and saw that Hatter had grabbed Hamish by the collar and pushed him against the wall, where he was now inches away from the mad man's face. Burt where Hamish's sea blue eyes were filled with utter fear, Hatter's green ones were filled with fury. And if they'd been in Underland Alice was sure his eyes would have been red.

"If you eva…" Hatter started, and "Alice was struck how his Scottish brood had managed to come through his normal mouthy, which just made him seem more like the Hatter she knew. "Say a single one of those things to Alice, again." He pulled Hamish closer and whispered to him, making Alice have to strain her ears to hear, and the fact his voice was so low and harsh just made it all the more frightening. "I'll make you wish that you'd never had the pleasure to walk on your own to feet and I won't give you the chance to do it again. "You imprudently bumbling gurgling banget suckling-"

"Hatter!" Alice whispered furiously, as her friend's voice got louder and Hamish's face got paler.

After a few moments, Hatter blinked and turned back to Alice as if he had forgotten she was there at all, then he turned back to the man he held in his hands.

"Let him go," Alice told him, taking a step closer to the two men. "Just….let him go."

Finally, Hatter released his grip from Hamish's shirt collar and took a step back and Hamish took a step sideways and then, once he was a decent few feet away, slide down the wall and sat on the ground, his eyes still wide and his hand a his rumpled shirt collar.

With one last look at Hatter, whose head was bent and was staring down at his open hands, Alice walked over to Hamish.

"Are you alright?" Alice asked hesitantly, crouching down in front of him.

After a few moments, Hamish pulled his head up and looked at Alice. No he looked past her, as if he saw something behind her and was desperate to focus all of his attention on it. "Down the hall and to the left."

"What?" Alice asked.

"Down the hall and to the left." Hamish repeated, vacantly. "It the last door a the end. That's where the meeting is taking place."

Alice nodded. "Thank you, Hamish. Are you, alright?"

Hamish nodded stiffly. "Just go, Alice."

Silently, Alice strengthened, and walked past Hatter, who looked up and followed behind her wordlessly. They were nearly at the turn in the hall when Hamish called out to them.

Alice paused and turned, watching Hamish expectantly, but he only said few words.

"Don't tell father about this," He said softly, and turned his head, ashamed.

_We wouldn't _Alice wanted to say, but the words died on her tongue. So instead she nodded and turned away, following Hamish's first request with Hatter following like a silent shadow.

**Anyone else enjoying Hatter nearly tearing of Hamish's head? Good, so I'm not alone. And no, I had no real idea about what hatter was saying, but it sounded angry and Scottish-y kind of, so I guess it works. Any-hoo, please review and all that good stuff cause it always makes me happy! C ya! **


	4. The Fifth Partner

**Chapter 4, and I am just letting you go and read! Go! Btw, I read through it and fixed some mistakes but if I missed some, don't judge me! **

Following Hamish's instructions Alice and Hatter ended up in front of two large double doors. Behind them, if Alice strained her ears enough to hear, she could hear the soft murmuring of voices behind the wood, but most of them she couldn't recognize.

"Alice?" Hatter asked and she fought not to turn. She was still angry at him, unbelievably angry. "I'm-"

Suddenly the doors were thrown open and a familiar gray haired man was standing in the doorway.

"Alice?" He asked, skeptically.

Alice smiled. "Lord Ascot, I hope I'm not too late for the meeting…"

"Oh no, Alice no." Lord Ascot said and he broke out into an even bigger grin. "In fact, we're still waiting for someone else." He walk towards her and pulled her into a tight hug before he whispered in her ear. "I thought you'd disappeared off the face of the earth, you know."

Alice's smile faltered and she was glad her employer wasn't there to see it, but something told her Hatter had. "I would have to, to miss this meeting."

Lord Ascot pulled back and smiled at her, a warm fatherly smile. "I'm so glad. Now, come along we have much business to discuss." He started walking away when he noticed that there was someone standing next to Alice. "A friend of yours, Alice?"

"Yes sir," Alice replied, taking a step towards Hatter, biting away her anger. "This is my dear friend Tarrant Hightopp; he's visiting me from-"

"Umbridge," Tarrant put in happily, and at this point Alice wanted to strangle him. Why, why had she told them that story one morning over breakfast, Nicholas hadn't let her live it down for weeks when she'd told him on the boat so why had she thought any differently of her friends in Underland. They would love to joke about it with her, but this was _not _the right time to joke about a place that didn't even exist.

"Umbridge?" Lord Ascot repeated, obviously skeptical and before Alice could try to tell him how Umbridge was….well she didn't even know where she what she was going to tell him, Hatter was already speaking.

"Yes, sir. Umbridge. It's a town very far away from here. This is actually my first time in London and Alice has told me quite a lot about her job so I asked her if I might accompany her to her next business meeting." He gave Alice a soft smile. "Isn't that right, Alice?"

"Uh, yes right." Alice said, shooting Lord Ascot an apologetic glance.

"Very well," He agreed, taking a step back and allowing both to stroll in through the double doors. As Alice passed, he held out as hand to stop her and whisper in her ear. "Where exactly is this town of Umbridge?"

"Scotland." Alice said with a mischievous grin, and the answer seemed to satisfy him enough for him to refrain from asking anymore questions.

. . .

"So," A man with dirty blonde hair and a thick mustache said, leaning towards Alice on a cane a few feet away. "Tell me, Alice. How did you get interested in shipping and trading?"

Alice looked down at her hands. Over all months she's been working with her father's original legacy, this was the hardest question to answer. So, she used the answer she told everyone that was true too. "It was my father's dream to trade with the world, so I'm trying to help realize it, in his memory." Why she never said was that she loved to travel and shared her father's dream. If she told them that, they'd think she was careless and silly, just another frivolous woman with a dream.

"Hmmm," The man replied, as if he were breathing in her answer.

There were six men inside the room where Alice was now. Two of them being Lord Ascot and Hatter, the rest were utterly new faces towards Alice, and not al of them friendly. First there was Mr. Evergreen. He was a nice enough man, with a receding hairline that was nearly black and dark hazel eyes. His build wasn't lean, and he was dressed in gray clothes, looking like he enjoyed nothing else but blending inn wit h the surroundings.

Next was Mr. Dickens, who didn't seem to speak much on any subject. He just seemed to nod and agree with everything else anybody said, his brown eyes never leaving anything but the floor and his blonde curls flopping into his face in an unkempt fashion. And then Mr. Jackson, whom was the man she was talking to. Of all of them, she didn't like him the most. He had short brow hair and bitter blue eyes with a short beard.

And lastly was Mr. Bitters, who ironically enough wasn't bitter at all. When they walked in he stood and gave Alice a sunny smile, gesturing for her to sit next to him and starting a conversation about how nice it was for him to finally meet her.

"Oh, don't taunt the girl, Jackson." Bitters chided, rolling his eyes at the man whom was still staring at Alice with a hard expression. "We should all be so lucky as to have her leading are trading roots around the world, wouldn't you agree Dickens? Evergreen?"

"Of course," Evergreen replied and Dickens just gave them a quick nod.

"Mr. Bitters is right," Lord Ascot agreed. "Alice has proved herself time and time again a valuable asset on out journeys and I'm sure I speak for us all when I say I can't wait to see what other joys she may bring us."

"True," Another voice spoke, from outside the room and everyone turned to the door to see someone standing there, the light behind him casting his face in shadow, but his stance was casual and strong. "But, I believe to side with Mr. Jackson, here. Who knows what Miss. Kingsley may do in the future or what her actions may cause our business?"

"What are you talking about?" Ascot asked, standing up. "Alice Kingsley has done nothing but the best for this company in her short apprentice ship with us, and what proof do you have to say other wise?"

"The proof," The stranger said his voice dark and cold. "Is in an asylum on Jefferson Street."

Everyone stopped then, people becoming quiet as Alice let the words sink into her mind. Jefferson Street was an out of way place, where the only thing on it was an asylum. But why would this man bring t up now? What reason of poof against her best wishes and good work ethic for the company?

"Sir," Hatter sad in a clam tone, and Alice felt herself wince. If he did what he'd done to Hamish, there was no way on earth she would still be working with Lord Ascot. "I don't understand what you're implying. Do enlighten me."

Alice blinked. Hatter had never said anything like that, where had he learned to do it? He spoke just like…well any of the other five men the room, not counting the stranger in the doorway.

"Of course you wouldn't." the man sneered. "But, allow me to explain. That girl," He pointed to Alice. "Is what you want to trust our company with? Her aunt is in the loony bin, and her own mother is in a coma. Who knows what may happen to her if we let her stay in charge."

"I'm not in charge," Alice retorted, but Lord Ascot shook his head.

"Why not come in here then, Doyle?" Lord Ascot asked, in a weary tone. "If you're so dead set against letting us decide for ourselves if Alice Kingsley is a good apprentice and a trustworthy individual."

"Gladly," Mr. Doyle said and took a step into the room and Alice nearly screamed.

Standing a few feet away from her was a stranger with dark black hair. His skin was pale and he had bright green eyes, though Alice could only see one because the other one was hidden by his dark locks. His eyes found Alice's in an instant and a soft and evil smile stretched out onto his lips.

"Alice," Lord Ascot told her, but his voice sounded far away. "This is one of our partners, Nigel Doyle."

**Dun, dun, dun. Good news, we found Stayne. Bad news, he's a partner for Alice's trading company. What a twist? Is it a god one? Are you excited? Please tell me! And review! **


	5. Back to Old Ways

**I'm thinking about only posting these like once a week, because this is really eating into my life time. Oh well, we shall see where his takes us! BTW any of you all Once Upon a Time fans, cause if you are then you probably realize why I never post on Sunday cause I usually write at night. Enjoy!**

"Hello, Miss Alice." 'Nigel' said, crossing the room in a few easy strides and bowing in front of her quite formally. Alice, to stricken to do anything, stood there staring down at Stayne for a few moments before she stood up and gave her a dazzling smile. "It's _lovely _to finally meet you."

"Like wise," Alice replied, her eyes filled with hatred as the dark man, the very man that had tormented her friends, lied to her sister and put her mother in a _coma,_ sit down across from her, the smile still plain on his face.

"So," Stayne asked, turning to face Lord Ascot. "If you will excuse my tardiness. I had some," He gave Alice a quick side long glance that only she could see. "Business, that needed to be attended to, could someone catch me up on our meeting?"

"We were discussing how we believe that Alice should remain n in charge of our company," Mr. Bitters explained, folding his hand under his chin and gazing at their fifth business partner wearily. "Care to elaborate on your views against the fact?"

"Oh, of course, of course." Stayne said, and he played his part flawlessly. If Alice hadn't known better, she would have thought he was an actually business partner instead of a conniving knave bent on revenge and murder. "You see," He said, standing up and walking over to the faire place where a dim fire was burning and played with a small picture e in a silver frame absent mindedly. "I was just wondering, are we really ready to take such a chance on someone so unreliable?"

"Unreliable?" Alice repeated, raising an eyebrow but Lord Ascot kept talking. "I believe you are mistaken, Mr. Doyle. Our Alice is-"

"Where has she been for the past few days then, Lord Ascot?" Stayne asked, turning suddenly. "And why hasn't she even been to visit her mother yet?"

"What does my mother have to do with ay of his?" Alice asked, and Stayne gave her an unamused glance.

"Well," Stayne said without missing a beat. "I have been appointed to watch over your mother by-"

"Excuse me!" Mr. Bitters interrupted. "Who has appointed you to watch over Miss Kingsley's mother? And wouldn't she be able to watch over her own parent in her current state?"

"On normal circumstances, yes." Mr. Doyle pointed out. "But, since Alice has not inf act been to see her mother since the accident and since Margret was out of town to look for her, I was appointed."

"Why you then?" Mr. Bitters wondered.

"I do, have a doctor's license and I know enough to make sure Mrs. Kingsley's vital sings are well, which miss Kingsley could have learn to do," He gave her a sad smile. "If she'd decided to actually visit her own mother. And Dr. Peters is a client of mine."

"I don't believe I follow your, line of thinking," Mr. Jackson said, but something in his eyes told Alice that he did. "Could you explain things a little more clearly?"

"Certainly, Jackson." Stayne replied cheerfully. "I just believe that putting the future of our company in the hands of such an irresponsible girl who has constantly flits around so much that she doesn't even have the time to visit her sick mother. If she can't do that, whose to say she won't be able to take care of our company?"

"But what about all the things that Alice has done?" Lord Ascot asked. "You can't just expect us to agree with you on a large chance of if's and could's."

"It's true," Bitters agreed. "The world could end tomorrow afternoon, but that doesn't mean it's true, now is it?"

"But do you have evidence that proves the world is going to end, Mr. Bitters?" Stayne asked, testily. "Because I certainly do have evidence that proves Alice Kingsley is quite irresponsible and possibly mad, much like her father was."

"Doyle!" Mr. Bitters snapped, at the same time that Lord Ascot said. "That wasn't at all necessary!"

Alice bit her lip, and stared down at her hands, revisiting the urge to jump up from her seat and strangle Stayne with her bare hands. She didn't need her vopal sword to cause him damage, but she bit back the thought. She wasn't in Underland right now, she was in London and she couldn't just run up to him and do what he deserved. Next to her she heard Hatter mutter and Stayne looked up and zoned in on her friend.

"Care to share something with us, sir?" The knave in disguise asked.

Hatter looked up and kept his face impassive. "No, I do not."

"You know," Stayne said, almost absent mindedly. I don't believe we've been properly introduced." He strode back towards Alice but this time stopped in front of Hatter and held out a hand. "Nigel Doyle."

Hatter grasped the knave's and. "Tarrant Hightopp."

A flicker of anger flecked into Stayne's eyes but he kept smiling and finally released Hatter's hand. "Hightopp, I do believe I've heard that name before. Were did you say your from?"

"He didn't," Alice said under her breath as Hatter spoke. "Umbridge, sir."

"Umbridge, you say." Stayne mused, and he looked over at Alice. "Well, I do believe that I've neverbeen there. Alice, is _that_ where you've been this week?"

Alice glared at Stayne and but Mr. Evergreen interrupted her before she could speak. "Can you please get on with your opinion?"

Stayne grinned. "Gladly,"

He straightened his back and took a few steps back so that he was in the middle of the room and all eyes landed don him. "I wish for you gentlemen to reconsider your offer. I ask you to realize what you are about to do with your investments and your trust. Putting it in the hands of such an irresponsible girl would ruin everything we've so desperately build this company up for, and if she disappeared then who would we have to lead us?" He paused and looked over at Lord Ascot. "Sir, I know you don't have many years left, and I want you to be as calm as you can when you go. You need to know that this company is in good hands, and those hands are not Alice Kingsley's."

"Then what do you propose we do?" Lord Ascot asked, wearily.

And Stayne, being the cruelest and most evil being of all, just smiled a cunning smile. "It's funny you should ask."

**I really hate Stayne! I DON'T KNOW WHY I MAKE HIM SO FREAKING EVIL BUT I DO! And this just pisses me off all the more. Anyone else sharing my Stayne hatred? Please review! **


	6. So much To Do So Little Time

**I'm not dead, I've just been writers blocked and hopefully I fixed it. Now enjoy!**

"I can't believe it." Alice mused for the fifth or sixth time, twisting the key in her hands nervously around. "I just can't."

"I agree with you completely, my dear." Lord Ascot replied, pushing open the now some what unlocked door and taking a few steeps into the dusty room. "Well….I believe this is it."

Alice followed her employer through the dark threshold of the unused part of the manor. Curtains were drawn, and there was a fine coating of dust around everything, which Lord Ascot promised he would have the maids clean up at once, but Alice didn't mind. She was much more preoccupied with her own troubles to worry about a bit of dust.

The awkward silence as 'Nigel's' proposition hung in the air. The way Hatter had almost stood up and ripped his head off like the very knave had watched for countless years while Alice was right behind him. The arguing after that, finally resulting in if Alice didn't prove herself then it would be handed over to someone more right for the job, and then Hatter balking away, the moment he had the chance and just left her in the hall.

"Alice?" Lord Ascot asked, and Alice shook her head, reminding herself why she was here, and what she was doing.

"Sorry," Alice mumbled, and followed the elder gentlemen up the tall stair case that stood at the edge of the front room. They walked up the rest of the stairs in silence, and finally stopped at a tall door in the mix of a variety of other doors; he stopped and placed a hand forlornly on the wood.

"This was her room?" Alice whispered and when Lord Ascot nodded she took a few more steps towards the door and placed the small brass key into the lock. Instantly the door clicked, and it swung open eerily, with a loud creak, opening a door to a room Alice would never have expected to see herself living in.

"Welcome," Lord Kingsley said, gesturing toward the inside of the dark room. "To your Aunt's old bedroom."

. . .

A few hours earlier.

As she walked the busy streets of London, Alice let her feet find her way back while her memory was committed to the many worries for her own safety and the safety of others in her situation.

Not only did she have to some how prove herself to earn her rightful ownership spot to work on her Lord Ascot's project, she had to make sure that Stayne _wouldn't. _The there thought of the dark knave directing her father's project wanted to make Alice scream, and then there was the business with her mother she still had to attend to. Where was Margret? Why hadn't she found Alice by now?

She was only a few feet away from her child hood home, and from here she could see that Dr. Peters as walking away from her house without a backwards glance, something that told her that her mother was alone in that house.

Another worry bit at the back of her mind, hat about the Hatter, where was he right now? Wandering the streets looking for a decent cup of tea, trying to, make hates that would probably make a lady faint with its outrageousness or would he be sent to an asylum.

She stopped walking, and her hands turned to fists at her sides. That was another thing she would have to fix. Aunt Imogene had answers Alice needed, and one way or another she was certain that Aunt Imogene would tell her what she needed to hear, or at least that's what she hoped. So that was all she had to do.

Prove herself to Lord Ascot and the other partners of her father's trading company.

Help her mother wake up.

Stop Stayne from taking over the company and bring him back to Underland.

Get answers from Aunt Imogene.

_Easy, _Alice thought to herself as she stopped in front of her house door. Her hand lingered on the door knob, its cool brass standing to grow warmer under her unsteady finger tips until it was finally the temperature of her hand.

With a sigh and shut eyes, she turned the knob I her hand and pushed it open, running inside before she could doubt herself and shutting the door behind her. As her breath finally slowed, she opened her eyes slowly, and nearly shut them again when her eyes followed the familiar pictures and drapes her mother had put up a life time ago. With another uneasy breath, she took a few steeps into her house, eyes never lingering on something for too long and finally stopping at a single dark brown door where her mother lay sleeping behind.

With another deep breath, Alice suddenly found herself the door in a blink of an eye and pushing the door open, not ready to see what lay beyond.

The bedroom that her mother had always stayed in was now more barren and stark, and in the heart of it, lay her unmoving mother. Her light white hair cascaded around the pillow freely, and her eyes were shut. Mrs. Kingsley's skin was much paler, and more drawn then Alice had ever seen it and for the first time in a long time, Alice felt herself realize how much she truly cared for her mother.

Alice ran towards her mother's bed side, kneeling next to her and grabbing her mother's unmoving hand, stroking it as softly as possible while tears threatened to break through her eyes.

"I'm here, mother." She whispered, taking shallow hiccupping breaths. "I'm finally here."

But her mother didn't move, she just kept breathing as shallow as possibly and Alice felt her cheeks grow wetter while the tears started to over lap.

"Mother, please." She whispered, starting to sniffle. "Please, wake up. I know you needed me, so I'm here. Please, mother, please wake up."

More silence.

"Please," Alice begged. "Please Mama, it's me. It's your daughter, Alice."

Alice hadn't called her mother mama since she was nine years old, and calling her that now just made the realization of her mother's condition worse and every tear, every emotion and every pain Alice held back, finally broke through and she cried.

. . .

A few hours' later Lord Ascot found her, crying at her mother's bed side and begging for her to please wake up. After he put his arms around her and pulled her into his tight embrace, he promised her that she didn't have to stay with here with her mother like this, and Alice could do nothing more to just nod into his already tear stained shirt and sob.

**Depressing, very depressing but I like how she's staying with Lord Ascot now, maybe more drama with Hamish perhaps? Only time will tell, please review! **


	7. We Were Happy

**Hey, I'm sorry with all the unsteady posts, I'm probably going to write and post on the weekends, so look out for them then, okay? Now read!**

"She used to stay here?" Alice asked curiously, taking a few steps into the room and let her eyes travel over everything inside. Sheets had been pulled up on top of most of the chairs and the bed, and what wasn't covered was left in even more dust then the parlor. Every inch of space was gray, and the curtains looked like they hadn't been pulled open to reveal light since a life time ago, it was depressing.

Lord Ascot gave her a grave nod in response and walked over to the edge of the wall, lighting the room up, while Alice walked over to the window and pulled the curtains away, revealing real sunshine over a small balcony.

For some reason, Alice felt her eyes start to water, the memory of the last time she'd been in a room with a balcony fresh in her mind,. She missed Irisa right now, and Mirana and Nicholas and everyone else she'd left behind. But the person she honestly missed the most, seemed to be here with her, but not the man she wanted him to be.

She heard Lord Ascot cough behind her and she turned, seeing that he was staring at a wall where several pictures were hung up.

Alice took a deep breath and stood next to him, let her eyes follow where his were and saw that hung up were several pictures of a wholesome girl with brown hair. In one of them she was sitting with a younger girl on her lap, while they both grinned and smiled at the camera, and in another she was holding onto the hand of a boy about her age.

But the picture that caught her eye was the one where the girl with dark locks standing against a tree, totally unaware of anyone taking the picture, reading a small piece of paper. Alice took a step closer, trying to see what exactly the girl was peering at when Lord Ascot turned to her.

"Your Aunt was a sweet one, you know." He told her, softly.

Alice blinked, and looked back at the photos. _These were Aunt Imogene! _Her mind finally realized, her aunt who was now in an asylum for being utterly mad and whole had tried to tell Alice a story all so many yeas ago. Thousands of questions arose in Alice's mind from the small photo, _how old was she? Had she gone to Underland yet? Could she remember a lot since she was older then Alice? _

"She looked so...happy," Alice said, mostly to herself. The silence that surrounded herself and Lord Ascot made herself uneasy, so she felt obligated to do whatever she could to fill it.

"She was," Lord Ascot agreed solemnly, turning to face his apprentice. "Do you know that we were engaged once?"

Alice's eyes widened and Lord Ascot chuckled. "I guess you didn't."

"No, not at all." Alice whispered, and Lord Ascot smiled down at her, a wearily smile that told her he was enjoying her curiosity like a father would his curious daughter. Never in her wildest thoughts about Aunt Imogene had she thought her aunt could have ever been engaged, and to_ Lord Ascot_ of all people? She'd always thought that her aunt had been holding out for her prince.

"Years ago, we were both happy." Lord Ascot explained, now staring at the pictures that hung on the walls. "We were both children back then, best friends. Like you and Nicholas, really. But that was before she...before she disappeared."

Alice took a small sharp breath. "Disappeared?"

"It was so sudden," He continued, as if Alice hadn't spoken. "One day she just wasn't there and then, two or three weeks later, she was back. Her mother told me that she'd run away, but I didn't believe her. She loved her family, even when her mother and father fought. And she would never leave Helen all alone to face that"

"My mother?" Alice asked and he nodded.

"She was just five when her sister disappeared. Your aunt and I were thirteen, and she always wanted to protect her little sister. She was a brilliant older sister at that too. She told Helen stories and always tucked her into bed at night. It was just in her nature to be…kind, I suppose." He shook his head. "But when I saw her again, everything was different. She was different."

"How?" Alice asked a bit desperately.

Lord Ascot shrugged, his eyes still had the far away look into them, and he didn't speak for a long time. Then he turned to look Alice, and he gave her a small smile. "That's a story for a different time, my dear."

Alice's eyes pleaded with Lord Ascot's, begging him to please continue the story now. She was so close, she needed to more about when Aunt Imogene was young, because that had to be when she'd fallen down the rabbit hole.

"My Lord," A small voice called, and both Alice and Lord Ascot started, turning around quickly to see a small maid with dark hair pulled into a messy bun standing in the doorway. "Your wife wishes to speak with you, right away please."

Ascot nodded, "Yes of course," And started walking towards the doorway when she heard him sigh and whisper her name.

"Sir?" Alice asked, and Lord Ascot stopped, turning back and staring at her as if he'd forgotten she was there at all. But why would he had said her name if he'd forgotten she was right behind him?

"Are you alright?" She asked softly, and Lord Ascot gave her a steady nod.

"Yes, of course." He replied, smiling surely at her. "You know, why don't you walk with me, Alice? At least to the gardens, maybe we'll find your friend Mr. Hightopp."

Too confused to say no, and worried that if she didn't find her friend Hatter might go ballistic and attack Hamish or some other innocent bystander, she followed. Leaving every question, every thought, and every prediction behind her in her aunt's bed room to return to at another time.

**Shorter then I would have liked, but I'll take it. Ever have so many ideas you need to write but it takes forever because you want to tease your readers? That's me times 10 right now. Oh well! Btw, for any of my fellow Once Upon a Time watchers, if you are as excited for the Alice in Wonderland themed episode on tomorrow, you'll know how much of an Alice-y mood I'm in so I'll probably be writing a lot! Review, please! **


	8. The First of Many

**Chapter 8! Hope you like it! :) enjoy. **

She found him in the gardens. Actually, she found Hatter walking out of the gardens and when she saw him, she ran to him.

At the moment, she was torn between wanting to yell at him for leaving her, or just hugging him because she was so happy. She had so much to tell him, but she was also quite annoyed because he'd left her to go do, well whatever he was doing while she had to go face her mother alone. Though, Alice didn't want to admit, she knew it would have been even worse for him to see her like that.

"Alice," He breathed, and gave her a huge smile. "I'm glad I found you."

"Me too," Alice told him, stopping a few inches away from him and taking a few deep breaths because eat any moment she was about to be talking a thousand words a minute.. "Hatter, you wouldn't believe the things I've found out. My aunt and Lord Ascot were-"

Her words cut off as he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her back towards the gardens, and Alice let herself follow. He brought her deep into the gardens, while memories of the very grass that she'd played on as a child met her and she tried to smile. She had mixed feelings where she stood at this moment, but now wasn't the time to sort through them.

"Hatter, what are we doing here?" Alice asked, as he stopped behind a tall hedge, where they wouldn't and couldn't be seen.

"This," He pulled out something from behind his back. "Is why were here."

In his hand was a wrapped up piece of paper. It was held by a silver ribbon, and on one side was her name, written in quite elegant script.

Alice hitched a quick breath and reached for the letter while the Hatter continued to smile and held it behind his back.

"Give it to me," Alice said indignantly, attempting to grab it from one side but he just spun and faced her, the teasing smile still on his face, but something lurked under his eyes.

"After you tell me what it is," He replied, with a chuckle.

Alice rolled her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her innocently. "It's a letter," She told him calmly.

"Yes," Hatter grinned, cocking his head to the side as he regarded Alice. "Isn't it?"

"Will you please give it to me, Hatter?" Alice asked, sweetly, holding out her hands.

Hatter grinned, and pulled out the piece of paper, still smiling wide. "Well, Alice. Since you did ask nicely-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Alice dove for the letter, and caught him by surprise. So surprised that they both fell onto the ground, laughing wildly as she attempted to grab the paper from him, but he kept it out of her reach. After a few minutes, they both froze and Alice realized she was lying down completely on top of him.

For a few seconds they just laid there, staring back at one another in their own little world where time had stopped but the rest of the earth continued to move. Seconds turned into hours, and it felt like an eternity had passed before when Alice pushed herself up onto her knees, and moved herself away from him a good six inches.

"Can I have it please?" She whispered, her eyes piercing the ground next to her in her stubborn effort to refuse meeting hatter's eyes.

Hatter sat up and complied, staring at her quite seriously while he passed the paper into her outstretched hand.

Silently, she slipped the ribbon off the letter and laid it down next to her absentmindedly, while read through the letter once. And she read through it again before she finally read it out loud for Hatter..

_Dearest Alice, _

_It has been four days since you and the Hatter have departed from our world, and we all miss you terribly. Hopefully, all is going well for you and Tarrant in London. Things are well here, as we are training for the battle that is to happen once Stayne returns. Nicholas and Irisa are making good progress, even though most of the time it looks like she might kill him, he's learning fairly well. _

_Your sister and her husband left just like we had planned, and told me that they'd go straight to your mother's home to check on her. They are also going to the a lock smiths I think, they said they wanted t change all the locks on their doors, for their own protection. _

_Iracebeth is doing well, too, although she's been muttering quite a lot in her sleep about such nonsense that makes absolutely no sense, even here. I've also been looking into the attic about your aunt, though I haven't found anything that might actually help you there, I will still continue to look. _

_I hope you're alright, Alice. And that you find your sister and help your mother awake. Good luck again, and I hope you and Hatter aren't fighting. _

_Please be safe. _

_Mirana_

Once Alice had stopped speaking, she looked up at Hatter who was staring back at her with an unread able expression. Suddenly, he reached up and his fingers brushed her cheek. She half thought she would have flinched, but she didn't, and she even enjoyed his, however brief, touch. Something that she resented completely.

So wrapped up in her thoughts though, Alice hadn't even realized that on his finger was a small tear. Her tear.

She shook her head and looked away, wiping her eyes quickly, before she turned back to her friend who was already standing with his hand held out for her to take. And once she had and she was standing next to him, he gave her a small smile and asked. "Are you ready?"

"What?" Alice asked, her eyes hesitantly meeting her friends.

Hatter was still smiling. "We have worked to do, don't we?"

Alice nodded, and started walking back to the manor, while Hatter did the same. And the Hatter and the maiden returned back to the large estate, side by side.

**There you go all my AliceXHatter obsessed fans. Awkward encounters and etc. I'm really sorry for the bad, taking forever and ever posting. I'm trying to be better though. Wish me luck with it. :) review please! **


	9. More Then Just a Coincidence

**Chapter 9. Read and enjoy! **

"This is it," Alice said quietly, pushing open the simple door to her aunt's old bedroom. It swung open early, and she aw it was just as she left it., though for some reason she'd hoped that she would be back in her own room. Not the one in Marmoreal, but her home in London. With her mother.

The thought of Alice's mother made Alice want to cry, and she bit her lip. _I won't cry. _She assured herself._ Not here, not now. _She didn't look back at the Hatter but walked, quite quickly, into the room, heading straight for the glass door that led out to her small balcony.

Once her hands grabbed the handles to the door and she pushed it open, the cool air dried the tears that were threatening to over flow and she turned back to look at Hatter. "Where should we start, first?"

"Well," The Hatter started, looking oddly out of place, as he stayed in the doorway. "We could search this room first I suppose….what are we um…" His brow furrowed and Alice remembered she hadn't told him what they were looking for yet. At least not in so many words.

"We're looking for things that well….things that have to do with Underland." Alice admitted, walking over to the tall bookshelf and pulling out a few books at random and thumbing through a few pages before she realized that they were no good and put them back. "Something that will help me figure out what happened to her there."

"Your aunt?" Hatter asked, appearing behind her, something Alice felt herself both liking and regretting. "She's been to Underland? How?"

Alice shook her head and put back another book, her eyes disparately searching something that could tell her something. Some sort of clue or hint that her aunt had actually gone down the rabbit hole. "She was going to tell me a story about it once."

This information, however easy to follow for Alice seemed to just confuse hatter more, but he complied and mimicked Alice's actions, grabbing a few books and paging through them for anything that may be in them. Standing so close together, nearly inches away from one another as they reached for more books brought back memories for Alice she'd buried down. She remembered how hesitant hatter's arms clung around her waist as they road the Bandersnatch, and how he gave her small smiles across the table at breakfast.

But that was before Irisa, she knew. Before things got complicated, and before Hatter got mean. Before he started to hate her and push her away. All these thoughts together made Alice dizzy, and Hatter, seeing her expression picked up on it.

"Alice, why don't you start to unpack?" He suggested. "I can finish these on my own."

Alice followed Hatter's suggestion instantly, walking over to the edge of her bed where she pulled up her bag which she had successfully packed with some things so that Lord Ascot wouldn't seem suspicious and brought them back with her.

First she grabbed a few of her dresses. Some from her bedroom, some Hatter had designed and put them in her closet, along with her cloak. Next she grabbed her book, and placed it by her bed side and picked up a picture of her family. Before her father had died, of course.

In the small photo was Alice and Margret, both girls smiling widely into the camera. Standing behind Margret was her mother, her eyes seeming to shine even on paper and her father behind Alice. When Alice was leaving her bedroom she knew she couldn't leave it behind. Not this time.

Finally, she pulled out the crystal necklace that Irisa had clasped along her neck I what seemed like a life time ago. The inscription along the back still feed her the power that she needed, especially now. She sat down on the edge of her bed, reading the same words over until she felt like she had them committed to memory.

But then, she noticed something else. Something under the words, something slightly smaller and nearly invisible, but there none the less was a tiny line. Such a curious thing, just putting a line of silver on a necklace, slightly darker then the rest of it. Maybe it was damaged, could it have broken when it was in her bag? Pulling it closer, Alice saw that it wasn't just a line but written in a delicate hand was the letter I. And next to it was an m….

Alice gasped, and pulled the necklace closer, and only confirmed what she'd already thought. Art the bottom of the necklace, under the words that had given her hope when nothing else would, was her aunt's name.

"Hatter," Alice whispered, then took a deep breath and said his name louder a second time.

He came over in a instant, sitting next to her carefully as she held out the necklace for him to see, but when he didn't, at least not what she did she smiled at him.

"It's her name, Hatter." She told him, pointing to her aunt's name engraved under the words, barley noticeable unless you knew where to look. "It's her name. Do you know what it means?"

"That your aunt really has been to Underland." He pointed out, and Alice nodded with a smile.

"She has…" She whispered, softly at the same time that the Hatter said in the same hushed tone, "That's odd."

"What is?" Alice asked suddenly, her head snapping up and meeting Hatter's light green eyes, barley six inches apart.

"The name, it's a name I haven't seen in a long time." Hatter admitted, but he was distracted.

"Really?" Alice asked. "When was the last time you heard it?"

"I was the name of a former queen, actually." Tarrant explained, taking the necklace from Alice's and hand and twirling it in his own. "It isn't surprising that Irisa found it in the red queen's castle, either."

"Why is that?" Alice asked, her eyes alight with curiosity as they always are.

"The name Imogene belonged to Iracebeth's mother in law." Hatter said plainly.

And somewhere, deep in Alice's mind she felt that this was more then just a coincidence.

**Hmm anyone want to guess if it's just a coincidence that Imogene has the same name as Iracebeth's mother in law? Review please! **


	10. Impulse

**Chapter 10, now I'm not going to say anything, just read! **

As the sun started to set and the day started to end, Lord Ascot appeared in Alice's doorway, his eyes soft and wearily, but not without the fierce flicker of the protectiveness that her father had had.

"Mr. Hightopp." He said calmly, his eyes narrowing at the fact that they were both sitting on the same bed, and noting the fact that dusk had already come. "We have prepared your room for you, if you would like to see it now."

Something in his voice told Alice that it wasn't a question and she wanted to smile. The differences between London and Underland were quite different, and she'd almost forgot it wasn't polite to have a man who isn't related to you or not your husband in your bedroom at night. Honestly, if her mother was here she could only imagine what she would have done.

The would be smile died on her lips and she watched as Hatter stood and gave her a small smile and a wink before he followed Lord Ascot, and as both men wished her goodnight, she knew she didn't have to be in Underland to be in safe hands.

As the door softly shut behind them, Alice stood and ran a hand through her twisted curls absent mindedly. She wanted nothing more to take a long bath and let her thoughts drift away, but she knew she had to do other things. So she into her bathroom and drew a hot bath and while the tub started to fill, attempted to write a note to Mirana explaining what she'd found today. She was so wrapped up in her writing in fact that she'd almost let the tub over fill with hot water but quickly ran to it and turned the hot water off.

After undressing, she sat down into the hot steaming water, shut her eyes and for once her mind was calm. She felt every worry, every need and every fear drift and float away like stream.

. . .

A half an hour later Alice was dressed, her wild blonde curls slightly damp but brushed and wearing a comfortable white night gown that she'd found in her closet when she'd come back to Underland. Pulling the fabric close to her body she could almost smell the soft vanilla scent of the castle she'd grown so accustomed to.

Alice walked back to her bed and picked up the stiff piece of paper that she'd wrote on before she'd gotten back into the bath and read it over to herself.

_Mirana, _

_It was very good to hear from you and I'm happy that everyone is doing well in Underland. Things are alright here I suppose. _

_My mother wasn't able to wake up like I'd hope she would and I'm sorry to say that my mother didn't wake up when I visited her. I'm alright though, Lord Ascot has allowed me to stay in my Aunt's old room and I'm going to try to figure out what happened to her so many years ago. _

_In fact, today I found that her name was engraved on the necklace I'd worn to Irisa's party. But I'm afraid that it might not have even been her because Hatter told me that the name Imogene belonged to Iracebeth's mother in law. Did you ever know the queen or another girl name Imogene? _

_Today I also found out that Stayne has taken it upon himself to pretend to be Nigel Doyle, a business partner of my employer. He's also convinced the others that I'm not fit to be an apprentice of Lord Ascot and now I have to prove to him and the other for business men that I am. It isn't going to be easy, but I have to try. This was one of the reasons why I'd returned to London the first time, to live out my father's dream and find my own. _

_I haven't seen Margret or Lowell yet either, and I hope they're alright. Maybe they're taking more precautions then I thought against Stayne, but I'm sure he'll leave them alone now. He'd already done his damage to them and I'm sure he has many more people to torment here. _

_Are things alright in Underland? How are Iracebeth, Nicholas and Irisa doing? I miss them and everyone else terribly and I'm sure Hatter can agree with me that we both can't wait to come back home. _

_Love, Alice_

Alice put the letter back down at the table and read through it gain. It seemed so much simpler on paper then it did in real life. She wondered what Mirana was doing right now. Could she be making a sleeping potion of one of her subjects whom been having nightmares of the terrors to come? Or could she be planning out strategy of Stayne's army, if he even has one.

Something tapped the glass behind her door and Alice's head shot up, her eyes narrowed and her body already tense and ready to spring.

The tapping continued and Alice moved to the edge of her bed, her feet lading softly on the hard wood floor and she took a hesitant step towards the door. More tapping, louder and more persistent and Alice kept walking toward the sound until she was only a few inches away from it.

Alice grabbed the edge of the curtain, its soft fabric nearly slipping through her tense fingers as she pulled it away and looked behind the glass door to see…

Hatter.

He was standing outside on her balcony. It could barley hold one person and he was their, his hat in his hands much like the first time they'd been on the balcony other and his green eyes filled with a curious flicker of something Alice couldn't guess.

"Hatter?" Alice asked but the Hatter didn't respond he just pointed at the door handle. _He must not be able to hear me, _Alice thought and reached for the door handle. She pushed down on the golden handle and pulled it open, shivering as the night air ran up her bar arms. "Hatter, what are you doing here? Do you know what time it is-"

The last of her question was cut off though, because at that moment the Hatter grabbed Alice and pulled her into his arms as his lips crushed against hers.

**There you go you crazy fan peoples, more Alice and hatter moments. Are you as confused as I am? Well you should be! Review! **


	11. The Want

**Chapter 11 and for some reason I like this chapter best so far. Hopefully you will to. Enjoy! **

Hatter's hands tangled in Alice's blonde curls as he pulled her closer to him. Arms tangled around one another necks, eyes shut and lips nearly burning with the passion that had been boiling up inside them for so long.

Thoughts, wishes and hopes that Alice had buried deep inside her heart, hidden away by the truth that she could never realized them , resurfaced and she knew that she'd never really gotten over Hatter. Their friendship was always something more, always meant to be more then just two very close friends and she knew it. She always did. And now, he did too.

They could have stayed like that for hours, maybe even days, wrapped up inside their own tiny bubble while the world continued to turn around them. And they would even care, would they? Not if they were like this.

Suddenly, she was walking back. Hatter was pushing her forward, and fast. She felt her feet tripping over one another, desperately latching onto Hatter's neck with hope that he wouldn't notice her nearly falling.

Then, the floor disappeared from under her feet. Hatter's arms were circling her waist, lifting her up and placing her onto her bed, and Alice took a deep heavy breath while the hatter continued to kiss her. Along her jaw, to her cheek and then resting on her neck, his lips never stopped moving along her body. And neither did her heart which was thumping dangerously close to her chest.

She shut her eyes, her body seemed to melted, flowing into his and becoming acutely aware of all his actions. When ever he moved, Alice felt her body move with it and she sighed with happiness. All her troubles melted away like they had in the bath, but one stood alone.

Just one name.

Irisa.

Alice's eyes opened, but she couldn't help but see the images in her mind. Irisa Hightopp. Her best friend, almost her sister. Irisa teaching Alice dance moves. Irisa helping Alice get ready for the party. Irisa telling Alice that she needed to go back, to help her family. Irisa, Irisa, _Irisa_.

Irisa was Hatter's wife. What would she do if she saw Alice here, with Hatter on top of her? What would she say? What would Nicholas say, or Mirana? She needed to get a grip on this situation, right now.

"Hatter," Alice gasped, her breath was coming up quick and shallow. "Hatter I…Tarrant…"

Alice had almost never called Hatter by his first name. It was always his nickname; he was always Hatter to her, wasn't he? But what he was doing was more then just friendly. Much, much more friendly.

"Tarrant," Alice gasped, trying to pull herself up against his body which was pressing down on her, and not in an unpleasant way, either. "We shouldn't do this…"

"We should, Alice…" Was his muffled response. "We_ need_ to do this."

"Hatter no." Alice said, trying to be more confident but her voice wavered. "We have to stop. Think of Irisa."

"I am thinking of Irisa," Hatter replied, looking up and his face was so close to Alice's that she felt as if she could fall into his crystal green eyes. "Imagine how happy she'll be to know that we finally found each other."

"Hatter," Alice said, still uneasy. "I don't want…"

"But you _do _want, don't you Alice?" Hatter asked. "You know you want this. You've always had. Just let it go, now. Give in to your desires. Your wants. Your _needs. _Forget about them all. It's just us, Alice."

"Hatter, I-" Alice's refusal was silenced as Hatter crushed his lips against hers, harder this time, throwing his whole body into it. Alice felt her head slam into the back of her bed; wood scraping against her skull, and started to throb but Alice barley felt it.

Alice grabbed the Hatter's shoulders, pushing him away, but her attempts were feeble. He was stronger then she was, and after a few moments Alice gave up and waited for him to finally stop.

Finally he pulled back and straightened, his knees still straddling her waist and gazed down at Alice lazily, and she turned her head away, staring at the wall and reusing to look at him.

"You can't fight it," Hatter's breath grazed her neck and raised goose bumps on her flesh. "You know it's true. No matter how much you think you can fight it, you can't. And you know what? You're going to end up just like her."

Alice turned to look at him slightly and saw he was smiling.

"That's right, my dear." He continued. "You'll end up locked up and mad, in an asylum. Just. Like. Your. Aunt."

"Don't say that," Alice told him, her voice sounded weak even to her own ears. "I'm not like her?"

"Oh sure you are." He chuckled. "Both kindred sprits, both pieces that never belonged to the puzzle? That's why you wanted to leave in the first place isn't it? Because you couldn't fir in and deal out your own problems…"

"Stop it," Alice hissed, turning to face him all the way. "Stop saying that."

'Tell me you don't believe it then." Hatter taunted, moving closer to her face, his nose barley grazing hers. "Tell me you've never wanted to leave your home? That you've always felt like you belonged right there, as much as your sister and your mother. Because your aunt never believed any of that. And now look at her."

Alice shook her head, her eyes growing wet and she felt her breath coming out in shorter breaths. "That's not true…you can't…."

"Oh, hush now….." He whispered, and wiped her tears away with a single finger. "No need for tears. After all you're only dreaming, Alice."

"What?" Alice asked.

"Didn't you know?" He asked in a bit of a taunting manor. "This is all a dream. None of this is real. And you thought it was, didn't you? Well, that just proves it. You really are mad. A mad, foolish woman. And guess what? You will go to that same asylum Imogene is in now."

Alice felt her body go ridged and before she cold speak, Hatter placed a single finger on her lips.

"No, Alice. Not another word." He commanded. "Just listen. You're going to shut your eyes now, and when you open them, I'll be gone and you'll realize you just woke up from a dream. A very, very real dream."

Alice tried to shake her head but Hatter's finger wouldn't let her move her mouth. "Come now, Alice. Just shut your eyes for one second, and this will all be over."

Alice felt her eyes start to burn. She needed to blink, but she knew she couldn't. She wanted to yell at Hatter. She wanted to claw his eyes out and beat him with her fists. She wanted to scream and cry and just make him go away. But instead, she just felt her eyelids get heavier and heavier until she finally blinked.

And then, she fell.

**Don't kill me for making it all dream-like. Did you _want _Hatter to say all those mean things to Alice? Heck, maybe it wasn't even a dream, I-d-k. That's just the way my creative mind works. Go figure. Review? **


	12. Regret

**Chapter 12, and I feel like this is just a filler. . . Sorry. I still think it's alright though. Enjoy! **

Alice sat up in bed with a gasp, and the first thing she noticed was that her room smelled like blueberries.

An odd thing to notice first when you get up, she knew but it was. The moment her eyes opened she inhaled the deep scent of blueberries fresh and crisp. For a few moments she just stayed their, inhaling blueberries and taking a nice long deep breath, and then last nights events caught up to her.

"Good, you're awake." A voice said pleasantly, and Alice turned to see Hatter standing next to her. The moment she saw his green eyes, she flinched.

"Alice?" Hatter asked, rising from the chair he was sitting in and taking a step towards her. He was dressed in an average suit, though with bright orange buttons along the front instead of brown or black, but Alice was too afraid to ask why. "Are you alright?"

Alice froze, her mind moving a million miles per second, but she somehow managed to keep herself breathing calmly and say. "I...I had a bad dream. Sorry, you scared me."

"Oh," Hatter's face fell and filed with instant sympathy. "What was the dream about? Did Stayne come and,-"

"I don't remember much," Alice interrupted quickly, and the lie stopped Hatter in his tracks. "But…I'm going to go take a bath. To…clear my head."

She pushed the blankets off and jumped out of bed, walking towards the door quickly without looking back but turned quickly to stare back at him for one last moment.

"I'll find you after, alright?"

Hatter gave her a slow nod, obviously confused either by her abruptness, or maybe at why she wouldn't meet his eyes but just gave her a small smile.

As Alice turned to open the door to the bathroom she heard Hatter call out to her.

"Yes?" She asked softly.

"Alice, you might want to clean…here." He pointed to his shoulder. "Has something….scratched you?"

Alice turned, running a hand to her shoulder and shaking her head, saying that she probably had gotten it last night or when she'd fallen some time. And the moment Hater shut the door behind him, she threw the bathroom door open and ran inside.

Quickly, she pulled away her night gown and saw that there were indeed scratch marks on her shoulder, running down deep. They weren't injures like she'd seen on the boat. Claw marks from cats or stray raccoons like in London. These were much closer, and there was something almost….human about them.

Alice felt a chill go through her and she grabbed the edge of the sink for support, her eyes locking with her reflections and both girls had pure terror in their matching brown eyes'.

A sharp pain across her chest while she slept, twisting and turning away, desperate to get out of the thing's grasp. She placed a hand on her head, taking deep even breaths and trying to get a hand on the situation. _Deep breath,_ She thought._ Just keep breathing._

Somehow, she managed to get herself into the tub, carefully cleaning the wound and adding medication so it wouldn't become infected then put on a plain white dress and black boots which she laced up carefully. She was almost done when she heard a knock at her door and everything in her body told her to run away. Fast.

_No, _She thought stubbornly and took and deep breath he can't hut you. Hatter would never hurt you.

_But what about last night? _A tiny voice whispered and Alice wanted to squish it down so it wouldn't say another word._ He hurt you last night and you know it. He left his mark on you. _

Alice shook her head and walked over slowly to the door. Hatter wouldn't, couldn't hurt her. 

He was her fried, and no matter what had happened to them in the past, they would always be friends. And friends never hurt each other.

"Alice?" A voice called, and Alice was surprised to hear it wasn't Hater's voice. She opened the door and saw a rather scared looking Hamish at her door. Hands folded in front of him and eyes cast downward like a school boy about to be punished.

"Hamish," Alice said quietly and Hamish's head snapped up.

"Alice," He said quickly. "My father has instructed me to fetch you and bring you tot he front gates where he will be accompanying you to visit your aunt."

"Really?" Alice asked and Hamish nodded quickly, tuning on his heel and stomping down the hall, not waiting to see if Alice was following.

"Hamish!" Alice called after him, running down the hall to keep in step with the fast moving man. "What are you doing?

"Escorting you to the front gates," He said swiftly.

"Chasing is more like it," Alice mumbled but Hamish didn't even flinch. "Hamish, what's wrong?"

"Why nothing, Alice." Hamish replied and gave her an unhappy side ways glance. "Nothing at all."

"Then why are you acting this way," Alice asked, stepping in front of Hamish's path.

Hamish shook his head and walked around her, never missing a beat as he strode down the hall and hung a left at the corner, and Alice had to run again to catch up with him.

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong, Hamish?" Alice asked, walking next to Hamish. "I thought we were….."

"Friends?" Hamish stopped and stared at her dead on. "You thought we were friends? Are you mad? You, single handedly embarrassed me in front of my family, my friends and everyone at out engagement party by shooting me down. After, might I remind you, you left me standing there without an answer to run around in the woods. You've also taken my place as my father's apprentice. _Mine. _Even if I didn't wan tit, I should have never been replaced by a women of all people. And him picking you was even worse.

"You ruined me, Alice Kingsley." Hamish Ascot sneered. "And what Nigel says about you is right. I can' wait to see you fired and thorn out of her without a penny to your name. If you're lucky you'll end up in h asylum like your crazy aunt, but now all I have to do is wait." He cast a glance over his shoulder to the doors. "You can find the hates yourself."

He stormed away, and Alice was left alone, numb and brimming with remorse.

**Hamish is annoying, Hatter is creepy an Alice is madder then ever. WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO? Oh right, the craziness of _my _imagination. Please review and tell me exactly what you thought and you know the rest! ^ . ^ atter would never hurt her.  
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	13. The First Queen

**Chapter 13 and I read through it to fix some mistakes but if I missed some, sorry! And btw, I do _everything _I do for a reason. So, if you're ever confused or just plain annoyed at what I'm doing and think it's totally out of character, BE PAITENT! Things will always have meaning in the ending. Enjoy! **

"Your aunt is this way, Miss." A small brunette said, gesturing down the long corridor of white. It reminded Alice vaguely of Marmoreal, except here everything was stark and bare, clinical and cold, unlike the queen's warm and welcoming white walls.

Alice felt like she had when she went to visit Iracebeth in her room. Apprehensive about what she may find out, worried about what it might be like when she was there and filled with pure and unbridled terror.

But this was her aunt.

The aunt that had tried to tell Alice about her prince who she was in love with and was her fiancée but would never renounce the throne for her. The aunt who had watched her and her sister as children and tried to tell Alice about Wonderland. Or had she? Was it all just a big coincidence that Aunt Imogene's name was the same as the queen of hearts' mother in law?

Alice stopped in front of a hard gray door. It had a dark handle was cool to the touch and while Alice's fingers brushed against it she felt a shiver rush up her spine. She shut her eyes and opened the door, ready for whatever she may see.

She was welcomed with a mixed scent of lavender and vanilla. And then she opened her eyes.

Her aunt's room was utterly white and bare like the hallway. One bed, two chairs and a small table and a window. Alice tried not to cringe at the knowledge that there were bars on the outside of her window.

Her aunt sat in one of the chair's staring blindly ahead, as if in a trance and didn't even blink as Alice walked in.

The hair that fell down her shoulders was lighter then Alice remembered streaked with more gray then the last time. Her eyes were hollow and her mouth was shut. She looked a bit paler then she did last time too, but that could just be because of her surroundings in white.

"Alice?" Aunt Imogene asked and Alice felt her heart break. Her voice was so far away, so scared, so….not well.

"Yes, Aunt Imogene." Alice replied, walking slowly over to where her aunt sat. "I'm here to-"

"It's been so long," Her aunt interrupted, turning to smile at her niece. "You're looking very well, you know."

"Thank you, Aunt Imogene." Alice said self consciously, sitting down on the other white chair. "You're looking well, too."

"For a women in this place," Aunt Imogene said wistfully, giving Alice a side ways look. "Alice, why did they send me here?"

"I…I don't know," Alice whispered, lowering her eyes. "But, Aunt Imogene I need to talk to you."

"You told me to talk about my delusions, remember?" Imogene told her. "And they sent me here. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such foolish people, they believe they know what's best for a grown women who needs actual help from her family but-"

"Have you been to Underland?" Alice asked suddenly, and her aunt immediately fell silent.

"Aunt Imogene," Alice repeated after a long silence. "Have you been-"

"I heard you the first time, Alice."' Aunt Imogene interrupted, staring at Alice with an unfathomable expression. "How did you find it?"

"Well," Alice mumbled. "You'd told me about it once when I was little and…."

"Tell me, Alice." Imogene said suddenly. "Is he still there? Did he ever marry her like he was supposed to? Is he a good king?"

"What?" Alice asked. "Who are you talking about?"

"I bet he's an old man now." Aunt Imogene mused. "The years go by much faster then they do here, you know. But I'm sure he'll remember me. We were so close. I-"

"Aunt Imogene!" Alice cried, and her aunt stared at her with a shocked expression. "Who are you talking about?

"The king," Imogene whispered, and a hand went to her chest. "The king of Underland."

"Underland has no king." Alice said softly, cocking her head slightly as she looked at her aunt who had changed her expression from shocked to sorrowful.

"So, he's gone then…" The old women mused.

"I…believe so." Alice said regretfully. "Aunt Imogene, when did you find Underland?"

Her aunt's eyes had a very far away look in them as she looked at Alice. "We were so young…so foolish. We thought we could actually do it. But that monster of a girl…she would never have let that happen."

"What?" Alice asked, and Imogene shook her head and turned back to Alice.

"Alice, why are you asking me about Underland? You've been there yourself, haven't you?" Her aunt wondered.

"Yes, that's why I'm here." Alice said, trying to keep her voice calm. "Aunt Imogene, there's a bad man out there and he wants to hurt me. And I came here to find him."

"But, what does that have to do with me, child?" Aunt Imogene asked. "I don't have time to help you find such a man. I'm….busy."

Alice tried to keep herself talking calmly, even though her aunt's voice broke on the last word and the fact that she hadn't been called child in a long time. "I came here because I found something. A necklace, with your name on it."

Alice reached into her coat pocket, a random jacket that she'd grabbed when she was running down to meet Lord Ascot after she ran back to get the necklace. If she were going to visit her aunt, she needed hard core evidence that her aunt had been to a world that nearly no one knew about.

She handed the crystal choker to her aunt's now out stretched hands. They clasped the jewelry tightly when the crystal hit her skin and she pulled it close to her body, as if to protect it from being taken away.

"Is it…yours?" Alice asked carefully.

Aunt Imogene looked up at Alice and then back down at the necklace she held in her closed grip. She held it out and just looked at it, stroking the gems possessively with a wistful smile on her face.

"No, Alice." She whispered. "It belonged to the queen first."

"First?" Alice asked. "What do you mean? You…found it?"

"Oh, no child." Aunt Imogene said, still not looking up at her niece. "She gave it to me. Queen Imogene of Crims."

**Did you like the twist? I did. Even though it isn't much of a twist, but whatever. Aunt Imogene is still cool. Anyway, spring break starts this Monday, Saturday and Sunday not included so I'm going to be writing A LOT! Maybe I'll even finish this story with all the time I'll have, maybe not. You never know. Review, please! **

**And**, **btw ****NamelessSaint**** and ****Marykim20**** I do not mind if you two have a dispute, it's perfectly fine with me because you both have very good points.**


	14. The Queen's Final Wishes

**So sorry I diapered for a very long time over spring break1 I am back now with this chapter with a HUGE cliff hanger at the end to hopefully pay for my absence. Enjoy! **

"You knew the queen?" Alice gasped, leaning in closer to her aunt. "How? When? What happened?"

Aunt Imogene gave Alice a long look and smiled a very small smile. "Alice, that's a very long story."

"Tell me, anyway." Alice asked, feeling like she was five years old again. "Please?"

"Alright," Aunt Imogene took a large sigh and shut her eyes. "It was a long time ago. When I was just thirteen years old when I found the hole.

"I thought it was so odd. Such a large hole for a rabbit, large enough for a person to go in, and as I leaned over to gaze inside, I slipped and I fell. And when I woke up, I was in a room. A room where I had to shrink and grow and shirk again just to get out, and I emerged in the most beautiful place, I'd ever seen.

"There were golden trunked trees, and huge hedges created into many animals. Flowers bloomed and the walkways were sparkling. It was, magical." Aunt Imogene smiled. "And that's when I met their queen.

"She was just as beautiful as the scenery around her. Her hair was long and dark, like a ravens. She was wearing a long dress that was decorated with hearts and she had a crown atop her head. She commanded attention, and I was so distracted by her, that I never even saw the boy lurking close to me until he grabbed me from behind and asked me what I was doing in Underland.

"I was much to confused to answer him. _What was Underland? _I'd thought._ And who was this boy? _But he was already picking me up and bringing me to the queen." Aunt Imogene smiled. "She was outraged. Not at me, but at the boy who had grabbed me! She told him to drop me that instant and I was staring up at this kind women.

"She asked me my name, and I told her and she kept smiling down on me and asked more questions and eventually I told her that I was lost and I didn't know where I was going to go from there and she took my hand and told me I could go home with them."

Aunt Imogene shook her head. "The boy, who I learned later, was her son, was so angry. He sulked the whole way back to the castle, telling his mother that she shouldn't have been inviting odd girls home with them, no matter how polite they seemed. I had never met anyone like this boy. He was so head strong, and stubborn. But, the way he looked at his mother with such, tenderness and awe, I knew that there had to be more that met the eye."

Alice was absolutely wrapped into her aunt's story. She hung onto ever word her aunt spoke, and when she paused Alice held her breath, a waiting what part of the story was next to come.

"The queen although, was he total opposite of her son. She was sweet and pleasant. She smiled when ever I glanced back at her, appointed out things on the way to her home, and finally, when a large castle came in sight, she rested a hand on my shoulder and told me I was welcome to stay for as long as I wanted. She even gave me a tour when I got inside, and that was when I met _her. _

"I don't think I had ever met someone as…" She shook her head. "Cruel as that girl. The moment I saw her in there hall, I knew I wouldn't ever be able to get along with her. She had harsh brown eyes and long red hair that fell down her shoulders in curly waves. She was shorter then I was, and her pale face was pulled into a deep scowl as her eyes landed on me."

Alice's eyes widened and her lips formed a silent name. Iracebeth. It had to be her. No one else could fit such a description. Not unless another angry girl with red hair lived in such a castle with the first red queen.

"She scowled at me while the queen made introductions, but when then when the queen's son came from around the corner, her face instantly changed. She smiled, and her eyes focused only on the boy who was about her age." Aunt Imogene shut her eyes briefly, wrapped up in the memory as much as Alice was. "She said hello Phelan, in the sweetest tone you could ever think of, but he barley brushed her off. He was staring at me with a loathing expression. It seemed like everyone was angry with me that day.

"Later on, when I was in my bed chambers the queen had arranged for me, she came in and sat down next to me on my bed, and told me something I will never be able to forget. She said she was dying. It was a quick disease, very fast and nearly painless until the end, but it didn't leave her much time left. She told me that years early her husband had left her, and now she was going to leave Phelan all alone and her kingdom as well.

"She explained that since they'd figured out about the disease eating away inside her, Phelan had grown more protective of her mother then ever. He'd do anything to help his mother; because he loved her more fiercely then anyone could ever love someone. But not even love can save someone from death.

"Queen Imogene also explained things about the girl I'd met earlier. She told me that she was Phelan's fiancée. His _fiancée. _At so young and the two didn't seem very well matched at that. She admitted that it was an arranged marriage, one that Phelan himself had agreed to, so that when his mother passed, he would be able to take the throne with a queen by his side."

"What happened to the Queen?" Alice asked in a small voice.

"After a few months," Aunt Imogene said in a quiet voice. On a day like any other, Phelan came to me, and told me I needed to hurry. He lead me to his mother's room where she laid, ghastly pale with eyes hollow in her head, almost as if death had already taken her away. We sat at her side, taking one hadn't each in our own, and she turned to me and whispered something two things she wanted me to do.

"The first was to make Phelan happy. To be his friend, and show him that he could love someone, someone who wasn't his own blood nor arraigned to marry. And I did."

"And what else did she tell you?" Alice asked.

Aunt Imogene leaned into face Alice. "She told me to-"

At that instant, the door slammed open and Alice was wrenched away from her aunt and flown to the floor. Before she could blink, she heard her aunt scream and struggle as a large man grabbed her, pinning her in his arms hiding her back as she struggled. In one hand he held a knife, dully pointed hat he was holding in the air and before Alice could speak, a man appeared by her side and pulled her to his feet.

That man was Stayne.

**Told you, huge. So many questions and no answers! This will be a great beginning for my next chapter though, orderly holding Aunt Imogene with a knife, Stayne appearing out of the shadows and Alice absolutely clueless. Any ideas what Queen Imogene's last words were? Review! **


	15. Four Harsh Truths

**Chapter 15 and this is one of my more serious chapters. I hope you like it, I loved writing it. Enjoy! **

For a moment Alice was too shocked to move or to speak, then realization hit and she started kicking and slamming her fists against Stayne's arms. He was obviously surprised but why she was doing and dropped her immediately, only to grab her by the arms again and pin them to sides, while she kept screaming at him, after finally finding her voice.

"Let me go!" Alice screamed, struggling as he pulled her closer and eventually picked her up off the floor, her feet kicking nothing but air. "Let me go right now, you monster!"

"Miss Kingsley, relax!" the man yelled, pulling her farther away from her aunt who was struggling just as hard as Alice was. "We need to get you out of here before you get hurt."

"The only one who'll hurt me if you!" Alice hissed, desperately trying to turn and face her aunt. "Put me down!"

"Don't you realize what a danger you're in?" Stayne asked, in a quick voice. "You were about to get stabbed by your own aunt and you don't even realize it, do you?"

"What are you talking about?" Alice demanded, and Stayne shook his head, walking back quickly until they were both in the hallway and the door to her aunt's room shut, separating Alice from what she needed to know so desperately. "That man is going to kill her! He has a knife!"

"A knife that he took from _your _aunt," Stayne told her seriously, releasing her from his grip and staring at her with a hard glare.

Alice took a step back, leaning against the wall for support while her breath left her in short gasps. "What?"

"Your aunt had a knife in her hand." The knave in disguise told her. "I saw her pull it out when you two were talking. You were facing me, but her back was to me and I saw her pull it out of her jacket. She was going to hurt you with it, I just knew it."

"She wouldn't have," Alice whispered, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "I know she wouldn't have. She would never hurt anyone!"

_Aunt Imogene could never hurt anyone,_ Alice thought surely. _She wasn't even mad, just misunderstood_. But Alice understood her and she was probably the only one who could.

"Oh really?" Stayne asked doubtfully, the eyebrow above his good eye raised. "Are you even aware of where you are, Miss Kingsley?" Before Alice could answer he told her. "A psychiatric ward. For mentally unstable people and your aunt is a patient here with good reason too."

"She isn't crazy!" Alice snapped, taking a step forward. "You of all people know that, don't you?"

"Oh, I would, wouldn't I?" Stayne asked with a teasing tone. "Do you want me to tell you that I agree with you? That I know that the place, the people the entire world your aunt speaks about isn't just a figment of her imagination? A truth instead of a lie that she's been pleading people to believe since she was just a little girl? That she isn't just a mad and confused woman but has been to another world beyond anyone's imagination? Because I think we both already know the answer to that."

Alice was dumbstruck, and furious.

"It's your fault she's in this place, isn't it?" She hissed. "You couldn't just be glad that Mirana spared your life, could you? You made your own decisions, you cut of Iracebeth's hand and you followed her as the red queen because you were too much of a coward to fight for yourself." Alice shook her head. "And you came here, to lead me back, to torture me until I would break, but why? What could you possible want from me? An apology?"

"You really don't get it, do you?" Stayne asked with a smile. "I want you to suffer. Suffer like you made me suffer. Strapped to that wretched woman, waiting months, years go by until you finally returned so I could exact my revenge on you and every one of those bloody idiots you call friends. I want to see you squirm, Alice. Because by the time I leave this pitiful place, you're going to be just like tour aunt in there." He smiled gesturing to the door. "A confused, twisted and broken woman without a single person left in her life except the ones that everyone thinks she'd made up."

Alice shook her head. "You know that won't happen, Stayne. I'm stronger than she was. I know Underland is real and I know I will be able to save it, because it needs me. And nothing you do will be able to stop that."

Stayne grinned at me, and looked up at the small window that was implanted in Imogene's door. "Well, we'll see about that." He turned to leave, but before he did, he paused and said over his shoulder. "Alice, my dear, it seems your aunt is trying to speak to you."

Alice whipped around and ran to the window of her aunt's door, peering inside as she watched her aunt struggle, her mouth forming words but nothing being able to flow through the sound proof barrier of the door. Hesitantly, Alice reached for the door and pushed it open every slightly, but it was just enough for her aunt's screams to pass through.

"It's real!" Her aunt's voice was shrill but still piercingly loud. "Its real, I know it! You have to find it! Find it, find it, find it! Look behind it! Behind the place you rest your head, forever more will sleep your secret cloaked in red! Forever more, forever more!"

Alice shut the door, and took a deep breath, but all the oxygen in the world couldn't help her as she slide down against the door that held her aunt hostage and buried her face in her hands. Because there were four facts that were inescapable and true running through her mind.

Aunt Imogene was insane.

Alice believed her and was almost killed.

Stayne was never going to stop until she suffered like he had.

And the one person that she felt could help her had taunted her, scared her and lied to her not twenty four hours earlier.

**Again, I loved this chapter. Writing for crazy people is fun! Especially when they might not be crazy after all, but probably are. I mean, are you as confused as I am about the whole rhyme? Probably not cause I know what it mans. ^ . ^ Good luck finding out! Review please! **


	16. Behind The Wall

**Chapter 16! I am really unhappy right now. Since we got a bran new computer tower thing, all my previously written files where wiped out so I have none of my old documents, including some of the notes on how I wanted to end this fiction! Not to worry though, I'm sure I can do it from memory. Please, enjoy! **

"Alice?" Hatter asked as she walked through the foyer of the manor. Their end was still barley inhabited, so he was the only person heir except for the few random maids or waiters who would appear to them, asking if they needed the floors to be washed or to bring them anything.

He was sitting on the grand stairwell, a book in his hands and his brow furrowed; why he was there Alice wasn't sure. Did he want to talk about what had happened last night? Alice didn't, she'd been through enough secrets, enough lies. She just wanted to go to her bedroom, her aunt's bedroom, and shut the door and the rest of the world behind it.

"Alice?" Hatter repeated as she mounted the stairs, walking past him completely and biting her lip. She didn't want to, but she knew if she even attempted to speak she might break down crying again. There had been a few times that she'd almost broken down on the ride back with Lord Ascot, but thankfully she'd managed to keep her tears inside. All the silent tears she'd sobbed in the hallway of the asylum trapped shut by her own sheer will power, or maybe she was just to numb to feel it anymore. Her aunt was truly mad, her mother was still asleep, her job was going to be given to Stayne and the night before, she'd gone through so many emotional twists and turns, she didn't know what was real or what wasn't anymore.

"Alice, what's wrong?" Hatter's persistent voice pulled her suddenly back to the present, and away from her worrying thoughts. She was standing in front of her door that was still locked like she'd left it this morning. She reached into the pocket of her coat which she'd denied leaving in the front of the house. "Why aren't you talking to me? And what happened to you this morning? Did Stayne do something to you? You have to tell me what happened. If he did anything to you, I swear I'll-"

"Be quiet, Hatter." Alice whispered.

"What?" Hater asked, his voice cut between strained and confused.

"I said, be quiet." Alice told him, placing the key in the lock quickly and twisting it sharply to the right. It swung open slightly and she pushed it the rest of the way in, taking the key out of the lock on her way and walking inside, leaving the Hatter alone in the hall. She pulled off her jacket and hung it in the small closet with some of her other clothing while the Hatter finally came up behind her.

"Alice, what happened today?" He demanded.

Alice took a deep breath and faced him. "I saw my aunt Imogene today. She told me a story, and then Stayne came with an orderly and grabbed her. He pulled me out into the hallway and told me that my aunt had a knife and was going to kill me, but he saw her before she could. He also told me I was going to end up like her because I was no stronger then she was."

But instead of saying all that, the words died on her lips and instead she just said one question she would have done anything to take it back so she wouldn't get the answer. "Why did you do that last night?"

Hatter raised a single eye brow. "Do what, exactly?"

"You know exactly what!" Alice practically screamed, going from numb and weary to furious in less than a few seconds. Every feeling she'd been trying to hold down came back up and she wanted to hurt Hatter with every word like he had the night before. "Coming into my room and kissing me? Telling me that I was going to end up just like my aunt in an asylum and-and-"

"What are you talking about?" Hatter asked. "I thought…I mean, you know-"

"I'm talking about you!" Alice screamed, taking a step forward which resulted in Hatter taking on step back. "I'm talking about what you did to me last night. _You _kissed me and you told me that I was just like her. That I didn't belonged here and since we were both the same I was nothing better than her. I was just a mad, foolish woman who will be in that same asylum she's in."

"Alice, I would never-" Hatter tried to say but she cut him off.

"You would!" Alice snapped. "You would and you know it. Once Irisa came back, you didn't care what happened to me. You told me you wished I'd never even come back to Underland! You hurt me so many times and I never…" Alice took a step back and turned away, her hands forming fists at her sides. "I never could hate you."

"I was angry, Alice." Hatter whispered, and Alice stayed where she was and after a long paused he spoke again. "If you think all of that, then why did you ask me to come with you?"

Alice shook her head, her eyes starting to over flow with tears. She loved him, that's why. No matter what he could do, what he could say or who he was with, she always would. No matter how many times she could even deny it, or ignore them, the feelings never got any less real. And he'd been the one to call her oblivious?

Alice shook her head, tears running faster down her cheeks while she stayed silent.

"Alice…" Hatter hesitated, and Alice shut her eyes.

"Just go," The words seemed to come from someone else's mouth, but they were said in her voice. And following her words, he sighed behind her and her bedroom door shut and she was alone.

Alice clasped a hand to her mouth and choked out a muffled sob. _Why? _She thought bitterly. _Why is this happening? _

Even though she already knew the answer it still filled her with hate, hot and quick. Stayne, that's why. Why did she even have to meet him? If she could have just gone to Marmoreal, maybe then…

_No, _Alice thought to herself. _No, he would have still hated me. And would have stilled tried to get his revenge. _No matter which way she thought she could have prevented this, it all came back down to the fact that this all happened because she fell down the rabbit hole.

"Why did I even have to fall down that stupid hole?" Alice asked out loud, trying to brush away tears. "I wish I'd never even heard about it!"

Suddenly, so suddenly Alice didn't even know what she as doing until she was already doing it, Alice was grabbing things and breaking them. She needed to do something. Anything then just standing there, lost and confused and numb. She needed to take action, any action. Alice was grabbing things and tossing them to the floor. Picture frames smashing to the floor in a rain of glass, books falling forlornly to the ground, and Alice crying the entire time. And somewhere far away, Alice thought dimly, this must be like Hatter's mad fits.

Finally, Alice was holding a picture of Aunt Imogene standing against the tree. Maybe that's how she felt now. Oblivious, happy, totally unaware of anything that was happening around her.

'This….this is your fault," Alice whispered to the picture and squinting through tears threw the picture away, landing against the wall with a muffled thud.

Alice perked up. She'd thrown thing at the wall before but they'd never made _that_ sound. She stood up, and walked over to where the picture had struck the wall. It lay on her bed, only slightly broken, a small crack in the glass. She looked up and saw that there was a small mark on the usual basic gray wall. Alice lifted her finger to the mark, and pressed slightly and was shocked to reveal that a whole section of the wall fell back.

Alice gasped, but before she could stand and run to tell someone, something caught her eye. Behind the wall was a small room, carved out into the wall. It was light a drawer, so to speak. And right in the middle was a book, wrapped in dark red leather.

**Well, anyone else surprised slightly? Aunt Imogene, are you **_**really **_**crazy, or just misunderstood, maybe this will help you make your decision! Review pretty please? **


	17. When She Wasn't

**Hello all! Today, my mom asked me if I ever wrote a disclaimer in my chapters and I realized, no I haven't and that is a really selfish thing to do! So from now on, I will write a disclaimer! **

**Disclaimer, I do not own any of Alice In Wonderland, as much as I would love to. **

**Enjoy! **

Alice's eyes widened as she took in the scene before her. The small red leathered book laying less than a foot away from her face, tempting her more with every moment that passed more and more unbearable. Finally, she reached in and grabbed the book, feeling its smooth cool leather brush her fingers and pulled it out of hits hole, letting it stay in her ivory hands before she shut the door with her free one. And once the door shut into the wall, Alice turned and knelt down onto her bed, letting the book stay in her field of vision at all times.

More questions than she could count rose into her mind, and a small faraway thought wondered how many times this would be happening. So many questions with not enough answers. Biting her lip, Alice grabbed the front cover and opened it gently and saw that written in a clear cursive script were words.

_This diary is dedicated to Imogene, who had the idea to write it in the first place, and listened to every word, every night. While you may be gone, your wisdom still lingers. _

Alice blinked. Which Imogene did they mean? Her aunt or the queen? There was only one way to find out.

Alice flipped open another page, and her brow furrowed. There was no date, but in the corner was written day three. Was this how her aunt had measured how many days she spent in Underland? Alice shook her head and let herself keep reading.

_Today is the very first day I will be written in this book about my stay here. Although it isn't my very first day in this strange land, this was the day that Queen Imogene, one of the Queens that rule this place gave me this book and the idea to write in it about my stay. She is such a kind woman, and I still can't believe how easily she took me. Though, Phelan still ignores me much like the first day I came here and his fiancée is no better, I'm quite sure I'll like it here, even though I miss my family terribly. _

_A.P.L _

"A.P.L?" Alice echoed, cocking her head to the side and re reading the words. This _had_ to be Aunt Imogene's diary, but why was she signing it as A.P.L? Who was that? Did the letters stand for something? Alice kept reading.

_Day 4 _

_Queen Imogene took me on a tour of the castle to day. She showed me everything, the halls, the statures and even paintings of her family. She showed me a man who looked much like Phelan and Imogene told me that it was his father. When I asked her what had become of him she told me that he'd died, only a few years after Phelan was born. _

_The very thought of a father barley knowing his son before death made me want to cry, even if it was the father of a boy as cruel as Phelan. But he has his reasons, I suppose. Maybe I'll ask the Queen about that tomorrow. _

Alice flipped through some more pages until she saw a longer passage and decided to read.

_Day 26 _

_Something interesting happened to me today. I was walking down the halls, which I'm learning to navigate very well since my few days I've been here when I saw Phelan coming down one. I instantly wanted to turn away, but I knew he would just enjoy that. No matter how many times we've faced each other, he always glares at me and refuses to speak one word in my direction. Today, I was going to speak to him. _

_As he walked by, I waited and when he passed me I smiled and said hello in my most confidant voice, and he didn't even acknowledge me. I was sick with being ignored so I followed him, calling after him. _

_Finally he stopped and turned to face me as if he was about to do so0mething unpleasant. _

_What do you want? He'd asked. _

_I'd like you to stop ignoring me, if you would. I said in a slightly wavering tone which I scolded myself for later. I shouldn't have e afraid of this boy; he wasn't anything bad, was he? It's quite rude. _

_Rude? Phelan asked and if looks could kill, I'm sure I would have been dead on the spot. Would you like to know what's rude? It is a girl interrupting me while I'm trying to go about my days in normalcy. Rude is having a mad women never endingly try to start a conversation with me and never being quiet! And then he left, just like that. _

_At first I was absolutely furious at this boy, I wasn't always interrupting him, and I most certainly am not mad, even though that seems to be a good thing here. But I realized something. What if he wasn't talking about me, but about someone else? Could he be talking about Iracebeth? _

_A.P.L _

Alice smiled. It seemed like no one really enjoyed Iracebeth, even when she was a child. Alice skipped over a few pages then stopped, to see that in one page the words were smudged. In certain spots, it seemed to have tried in a complete circle, could these have been tears?

_Day 61_

_She's gone. No matter how many times I may say it, write it or think it, it never really makes the words true. But sadly, they are. Tonight, our beloved queen passed on from his life, and it has only been a few hours since then. It's nearly morning now, but I still can't sleep, so I believe now is the best time to write out the total grief I feel. _

_It started out like a normal day like any other. I was sitting in the garden, picking flowers for Imogene's room when Phelan ran towards me. He stopped a few feet away and I looked at him and saw that his expression wasn't one of loathing or hatred but fear. Utter fear. _

_He told me to hurry and we were running and after what seemed like forever we made it to her room. The first thing I smelled were the violet. Then the roses and lilies. Flowers were everywhere, their scent blocking out any un pure air hat might have been tainted with death's stench. _

_We walked to her bedside and I tried not to cringe at the sight of her. The woman I'd met when I first came to Underland, the women who was so bright and alive, was gone. And left in her place was another woman. Whose dark hair was tangled and her matching eyes were hallow and gone. I knew she hadn't had much time left. She smiled at both of us through the pain, and she whispered for me to move closer and whispered something into my ear, something I'll never forget as long as I live. _

_Make him happy, she had whispered. Make him learn that he can love someone who he isn't forced to or has to protect. Your strong, Imogene. You can protect him too. _

_And then she told me something I will do, and will fulfill until I met my own end. _

_She told me to now let her memory die. _

_As I pulled away, I let her words sink in while she spoke to her son and then, suddenly, the hand I held went limp and she was already gone. It was so quick, so final that I didn't know what to do. Until Phelan stood and whispered no. Then he was screaming, running around the room and throwing down vases with flowers and stomping the pieces to the floor, pieces of glass and I stood and ran to him, taking his hand sin my own and making him look at me. _

_Even though we just looked at one another, I knew he'd finally heard me, and then he ran away. _

_Tonight, I will fulfill Imogene's second wish. Her memory won't die, because from now on, I will be Imogene. It will be my name, and it will be what I call myself while I stay here and when I go home. If I ever do. _

_Imogene_

**Confused, you should be. So apparently, Imogene wasn't always Imogene. Wonder what her name as BEFORE she was? Well why don't you try and guess. :) I know it though. Yay! Review PLEASE! **


	18. Her Name Is Alice

**Chapter 18, let's go! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer, still don't own anything Alice in Wonderland. ;'( **

The book in Alice's hands fell from her grasp and landed on her bed with a faint swish of the pages. Her eyes were far away and her mouth hung open.

It couldn't be true. Aunt Imogene was always Aunt Imogene, wasn't she?

Alice jumped off the bed and paced along the floor. She had to be. Her mother had never said anything about Aunt Imogene changing her name. But she'd also never said anything about her aunt disappearing for so long.

Alice sat back down on her bed and held her head in her hands. This was too much, too much to handle on her own and too much to handle in one day.

_Maybe I should go for a walk, _Alice thoughtstanding up and turning towards her closet which was on the other side of her bed, but something caught her eye.

On the bed was a small piece of yellow paper sticking out from inside the cover of the book. Hesitantly, Alice picked up the book and read the small journal entry inside.

_Day 184_

_Today was magical! We walked in the gardens and hid under the rose bushes and whispered secrets like we were children, and once we left he handed me a small slip of paper. _

_Don't read it until you're in your room. He whispered to me, and walked me all t \he way there. The moment I let my door close I opened the paper. He wrote me a poem! It's the sweetest thing in the world. _

_I never thought I would ever love someone as much as I love him, but I do. I do. I do. I do. And I love the secret message he put into the poem._

_Imogene. _

"A boat beneath a sunny sky,

Lingering onward dreamily

In an evening of July —

Children three that nestle near,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Pleased a simple tale to hear —

Long has paled that sunny sky;

Echoes fade and memories die;

Autumn frosts have slain July.

Still she haunts me, phantom wise,

Alice moving under skies

Never seen by waking eyes.

Children yet, the tale to hear,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Lovingly shall nestle near.

In a Wonderland they lie,

Dreaming as the days go by,

Dreaming as the summers die:

Ever drifting down the stream —

Lingering in the golden gleam —

Life, what is it but a dream?"

Alice put down the book and opened the small piece of paper, reading it once then twice before reading it out loud to herself.

Alice shook her head. _This…this is impossible,_ she thought softly.

This poem mentioned Alice by name, and that was an impossible feet. Alice hadn't been born yet, and the fact that she hadn't found Underland yet either was obvious. Yet in this poem Phelan mentioned her by name? Why?

And what was the secret message? The only thing Alice noticed that might have been secretive was the fact that her name was used.

Alice put the paper down on her bed and gazed at it for a long time before she finally gave up. It's late…she thought fuzzily. The sun had already gone down and the sky was an early twilight. I'll figure this out in the morning. Alice picked up the paper and set it on the table then grabbed the red bound book and placed it on top of it.

Alice walked into her bathroom and stripped off her clothes, starting the hot water to her bathtub and grabbing a soft white robe she found in her closet and waited for the water to arm. Once it was full she stepped inside and let the water rise to her nose and just sat there, shutting her eyes and willing her worries to float away. But they still lingered so after ten minutes Alice abandoned her desires to let her worries float away in a tub of hot water and five minutes later returned to her bedroom wearing a long white night gown with her hair falling down her back in damp curls.

She walked back to her bed and sat down on the edge reaching for her book, but as she went her eyes caught when she saw letters on the very start of the poem. They spelled her name.

Alice gasped and grabbed the paper from the underneath the book, sending it tumbling to the floor. It did spell out her name, plain and simple and suddenly, Alice was reaching into her bedside table and pulling out a pencil and a piece of paper. Carefully, she wrote down the rest of the letters as the appeared down the poem and when she saw done, she had written Alicepleasanceliddell.

Alice stared down at the paper then she stood, running to her aunt's bookshelf and going through some of the old books from when her aunt was a child. When Alice was little she wrote her full name in every book she owned and hopefully her aunt did the same. She picked up an old picture book and pulled to the first cover and gasped at what she saw.

Written in slanted and crooked letters was Alice Pleasance Liddell.

The book fell from Alice's hands and a hand flew to her mouth. Her aunt, the woman who she'd been taught to know that she was very ill and practically insane shared her name. She had to know more, she simply had to.

Quickly, Alice ran to her bed once more and grabbed the book that had fallen, and with twitching fingers she flipped to the very past page her aunt had written in.

_Day 396_

_Today is the day I leave this place that has been more of a home than anywhere else. I know it's not where I belong, but no matter what I will always believe it is truly my place, no matter what everyone else may tell me. Phelan is gone and has left Iracebeth in charge of my departure. I have to just do one last thing before I leave though. I've packed the few items I want to bring with me that will seem normal inside a practical world where magic doesn't exist. Today, I will visit Imogene's grave and I'll tell her I'm sorry I failed. I couldn't make Phelan happy, not really. But no matter what, Imogene's memory will live on. _

_Imogene. _

Alice felt her heart break at the last few sentences of her aunt's last entry. Imogene, or rather Alice, had spent so much time in a world that she was apparently never supposed to belong too. And she had her heart broken too.

_Just like I have,_ Alice thought sadly, and then she knew exactly what she had to do. But first she was going to need to speak to Hatter.

**Thank you James Birdsong for guessing the right answer before I could reveal it to everyone! You are too smart for your own good, and to all of you who guessed  
>Alice, stop being so smart! I'll have to add extra twists just to keep you surprised next time. Please review! :D <strong>


	19. Desprate

**This chapter is very good, at least in my taste. I did a lot of rewriting for this one, but I say I did a pretty good job of it. Enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Alice in Wonderland…**

As Alice walked into the Hatter's room, the first words that left her mouth were, "I'm sorry for what I said."

Even though it seemed more Hater's fault than Alice's she knew she needed to apologize. Maybe with all the pressures that he'd been facing, being in a new world with strange knew people; he'd had a little mad fit and just gotten angry with her.

Hatter looked up from where he sat. He was sitting on his own bed, doing something with his hands and fabric and when he saw Alice he instantly hit it behind her back. His eyes were confused, and a bit hard, like he'd expected her to start a fight again but once he let her words sink in he's body eased. "I'm sorry too, Alice."

"I've been really stressed these past few days," Alice continued, sitting down at the edge of his bed and her eyes staying down on the red book in her hands. "And I shouldn't have taken it out on you,' She looked up at Hatter expectantly. "And I really shouldn't ask so much of you."

Hatter raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean, Alice?"

Alice took a deep breath and gave hatter a serious look. "If I asked you to do something for me, would you be able to do it?"

Hatter gave Alice a questionable look and nodded. "Yes, Alice. Of course."

Alice gave him a soft smile. "Good," She picked up the small book in her lap. "Hatter, this is my aunt's diary. My aunt Imogene who fell down the rabbit hole before me and I realized that…her name really isn't Imogene. It's Alice. Alice Pleasance Liddell. She took o the name Imogene after the queen had died."

"Really?" Hatter asked, leaning forward slightly. "How is that possible?"

"She fell down the rabbit hole when she was about thirteen." Alice explained. And she met the queen and her son and they brought her home with them. And she lived with them for over a year and…I think she fell in love with the prince."

"Prince Phelan?" Hatter asked.

Alice gave him a soft nod. "How do you know him?"

"My father had helped hat for him after he was married to the Iracebeth." Hatter explained. "But I never even knew…"

"I doubt anyone else did either." Alice replied softly, picking up the book and touching the page with a soft hand. "I never even knew that her name was mine too."

"Alice?" Hatter asked and Alice looked up and was suddenly aware of how close she was to the hatter at that very moment. She felt her cheeks flush with warmth at the memory of how they'd kissed and the way he held her. Just a few inches closer and their lips would touch. That wasn't even that far. Barley a breath away from one another's face…

"What happened to Imogene?" Hatter asked.

Alice blinked, and leaned back, her cheeks flushing even darker, even though she couldn't see them, she knew. "I...I think Iracebeth found out."

Hatter gave Alice a sad frown. "So, you mean…"

"She was sent away." Alice whispered. "It was the last entry in her diary. Iracebeth was put in charge of her leaving and she said she was sorry that she'd failed the queen. I was her job to make Phelan happy, but she failed."

"Oh," Hatter's eyes fell and he whispered, in such a soft voice Alice was barely able to hear it. "I'm so sorry."

Alice nodded, staring at the hands in her lap with the very book that had caused her to feel so sad. Besides the current circumstances, of course. "But, that's not what I'm here to talk to you about, Hatter."

"Then what is it?" Hatter asked, curiously.

Alice gave him a serious look. "I need you to help me break my aunt out of the asylum."

Hatter jumped up from the bed with a gasp and stared at Alice unfathomably. "Alice, are you-I mean-"

"Hatter, we _need_ to help her." Alice pleaded, standing up beside him. "She's my aunt, and she needs my help. And I need her too."

"Alice," Hatter said slowly. "I don't know what you believe your aunt may be able to help you with but-"

"She can help wake my mother up!" Alice cried, suddenly.

Hatter stared at Alice with wide eyes and after a few very long silent seconds he whispered. "What?"

"She can wake up, Mother." Alice explained, slowly. "I know she can. Margret told me that when she said my name, mother moved. Slightly, but she still moved. So…so we thought that if I could just talk to her then she would wake up." Alice was taking quicker breaths and her words came faster with every passing moment. "But she wouldn't. No matter how many times I talked to her. I kept pleading, pleading for mother to wake up she wouldn't even stir. But now I know. I'm the wrong Alice. She needs her sister; her sister who was named Alice and for thirteen years never called herself anything but. Please Hatter; I have to do it, to save her."

"Alice…" Hatter's voice trailed off and she saw that he was staring down at her with an unreadable expression. Was he deciding that she was just too crazy to try and help, blinded by her own selfish needed that were now blocking their original mission. _Please. _Alice thought. _Please, please help me. _

"When will we be saving her?" Hatter asked, and Alice was too stunned to speak, but when he looked at her, she could read his expression as easily as she had read her Aunt's dairy. He did trust her, and he was going to help her break her aunt out of an asylum and help her mother.

"I was thinking we could do it tomorrow night," Alice admitted. "So, hopefully no one will be able to see us. And visiting hours are closed after dark so Stayne wouldn't be by to try and stop us either."

"This isn't going to be easy, is it?" Hatter asked playfully, but she saw in his eyes he was a bit still uneasy about the plan.

"Easier than fighting a jabberwocky and taming a bandersnatch." Alice replied, and Hatter gave her a smile, that although didn't show off the gap in his teeth, still sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine.

"I believe a lot of things are easier than that," Hatter acknowledged. "And I know that you'll be able to accomplish the just as easily."

Alice grinned, but before she could reply there was a large bang and a muffled voice cursing from behind Hatter's door, and Alice met Hatter's eyes and saw that his worried expression and fear matched her own.

They both knew that voice.

Hamish knew their plan.

Alice ran to the door and threw it open, staring down the hallway to see that Hamish was rubbing his arm, and when their eyes met his face paled. And then he ran, like a frightened rabbit at the sign of any danger.

And Alice ran after him.

**Dang it Hamish, you just have to ruin everything don't you? Can't a girl who fell down a rabbit hole and ended up in a magical world that she had to save talk to her mad friend with an obsession of hats whose eyes change color with his mood and plan to break her aunt out of an asylum to help her mother who is in a coma without being interrupted? Honestly. Please review! **


	20. An Unexpected Love

**Now this is a very interesting chapter because I was standing in the line of a super market with my mom when I had this idea. At first I was going to go with a whole different approach, but this seems more…unexpected. Oh well, enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Alice in Wonderland. Sorry! **

Hamish might have started off first, but Alice was faster. Maybe after all those times she'd raced Nicholas had finally paid off, but right now she had to get to Hamish before he said a word to anyone. She was getting closer to him, and now was her chance, she leapt, and grabbed onto Hamish's arm, landing slightly on her feet but stumbling back, pulling Hamish back long with her.

Hamish stopped and turned his face red and panting heavily.

He gave Alice a bewildered look and then straightened as if he was about to run away again.

"Hamish, stop!" Alice cried, pulling him back, as her feet slid across the hallway's slippery floor. "Stop, you can't tell anyone about what you just heard."

"The hell I can't!" Hamish snapped. "You're sick Alice. Truly and unbelievably sick. You want to break your aunt out of an asylum and-and-you-"

"Hamish please," Alice pleaded, desperately. "I'm begging you. You can't tell anyone."

"Why not?" Hamish asked. "What can you possibly do that will make me want to listen to you?"

"Hamish," Alice whispered, then took a deep breath. "If you tell anyone then…then I'll…"

"Then we'll tell your parents about Phillip." Another voice said and both Alice and Hamish froze.

Hatter was standing a few feet away from them, his face the picture of calm as he strode over to them without a single hurry.

"What did you say?" Hamish asked, and Alice had to turn around and face him to confirm her suspicion that she thought Hamish's voice quivered.

"If you tell anyone about what either I or Miss Kingsley were speaking about, then we'll tell your mother about Phillip." Hatter spoke calmly.

Alice felt Hamish's arm grow tense under her hand as he spoke. "I don't know what you're talking about. Mr. Bitters and I are nothing but somewhat close acquaintances."

Alice eyes widened then. Mr. Bitters? Mr. Bitters Lord Ascot's business partner? He did seem younger than the other partners and was a bit different than the rest of them, but what does that have anything to do with Hamish? I mean, Mr. Bitters was everything that Hamish wasn't. Chipper, sweet, complementing Alice's choice of dress as she walked in and then something in Alice's head just…clicked.

She whipped around to ace Hamish with new eyes. Everything made sense now. Why Hamish's mother was desperate to get him married, why he seemed so different from other men why he felt so strongly against how Alice had been offered the apprentice ship instead of him. Because picking a woman over him was bad. But it would be even worse if….if…

Alice dropped Hamish's hand and stood, and he let his eyes fall to the ground, like he was a young child.

"I won't tell anyone." He whispered, and ran swiftly into one of the rooms and shut the door, leaving Alice and Hatter alone.

There was one minute of utter complete silence before Alice turned and screamed at Hatter. "What the hell was that?"

"He won't tell anyone now." Hatter replied quietly, his eyes on the floor. "It was the only way."

"The only way for him to be quiet and keep our secret is blackmail?" Alice cried. "You just, destroyed him!"

Hatter raised his eyes to Alice's. "But-"

"Hatter," Alice cut him off, wearily. 'That just…that just wasn't right." Without another word she was walking towards the door, but she paused at it and turned around. "Hatter, I'm going to talk to him. Go get ready, alright?"

She didn't wait to see him nod, she opened he door and walked in, closing it as softly as possibly so no one would hear her. It still wasn't alright for a lady to be in a man's room at such hours even under certain…circumstances.

Hamish turned around when she walked in, and her heart broke when she saw tears in his eyes. She bit her lip and walked over to him where he sat on the bed, his and running through his hair as his pants were soaked with tears.

"Hamish," Alice whispered, but he shook his head.

"No, Alice. I don't even want you to say it." He told her.

Alice took a deep sigh. "What do you mean?" 

"That you're sorry for me." He said in a bitter voice. "That you wish you could do something for me. That you promise not to tell my father or my mother."

"Hamish, I'm sorry Tarrant threatened to tell them." Alice told him, and he let his hand fall and stared at her unfathomably.

"What?" He whispered.

"I…I don't care." Alice admitted. 'I mean, it isn't like it's, I don't know something you may have control over. It isn't my right to judge you. And it isn't anybody else's right either."

Hamish still continued to stare at her skeptically. "I don't understand."

Alice's gaze fell to her hands. "When I boarded that ship, everyone thought less of me because I was a woman. It was something I could control, and it was something they had to accept. And that is something that your parents need accept too. I mean, they'll have to eventually, won't they?"

Hamish shook his head at Alice. "I...I don't know."

"Hamish, do people know that Mr. Bitters is like this?" Alice asked softly. Hamish gave her a grave nod and Alice continued. "Then why can't you?"

"Because I'm a lord!" Hamish exclaimed and Alice flinched. "It will be a scandal. Everyone will be talking about it. My father's company will be ruined and my mother….my mother…"

Alice shook her head. "Hamish, your father's partner is like you, and the entire company hasn't fallen to ruins. I think that maybe, things will be alright."

"But…" Hamish's lip quivered. "What if...what if it doesn't turn out like you say?"

"You mean between you and Philip, don't you?" Alice asked lightly.

Hamish nodded. "I mean, what if things go wrong? I don't want my family to get hurt, or him or…anything like that."

Alice nodded and bit her lip. "Hamish, I can't see into the future, but, do you think you love him?"

After a few minutes Hamish nodded.

"Then be with him." Alice told him, turning to face him with a hopeful smile. "If you love him, then nothing should get in the way of that. Because if you just keep going on like this then who knows, you'll just be kept left wondering…and it will hurt more than anything you can imagine."

Hamish looked at Alice with a dazed expression and then a small smile appeared on his lips. "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

Alice's brow furrowed. "Who?"

"Tarrant," Hamish replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're in love with him. It's quite obvious you know."

Warmth rushed up to Alice's cheeks and she looked away. "I…I guess so."

"Then why aren't _you_ with him Alice?" Hamish urged. "If you love him like the way I believe you do, why aren't you with him right now?"

Alice bit her lip, desperately wanting to tell Hamish everything, but also knowing that this wasn't the time, and that she had other things to do, so all she said was. "It's more complicated then you know."

Hamish nodded, like she did tell him everything and stood, grabbing her hand and pulling her up with him and hugging her tightly in which she followed and after a few moments they pulled away and Hamish was holding a hand on her shoulder.

"Go, Alice." He told her. "Go save your aunt and….try to save him too."

Alice nodded, feeling her eyes grow wet and turned away to go but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"Alice?" He asked.

"Yes, Hamish?" Alice asked softly.

"Thank you," He whispered. "For everything. I'm sure this would have been even more awkward if you'd accepted my marriage proposal."

Alice grinned from ear to ear. "I believe so," She replied, and she left, just like he'd asked her to. Still grinning so wide, she was surprised her face didn't split in too.

**Surprised? I was too, but it's kind of sweet, isn't it? It might explain a little bit more about him, and makes him less of a jerk, but more of a misunderstood meanie. Lol, I know, I'm strange, but my sudden ideas make the story better, no? Please review, and no hatful comments, okay? This is the first sudden idea I've had on awhile, I needed his. **


	21. Breaking Into The Aslyum

**Chapter 21, enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: Still do not own anything Alice in wonderland. **

Getting to the asylum seemed to be the easiest part of their plan. Hamish had arranged for him, after Hatter had formally apologized to him, which Alice didn't even have to ask him to. Once inside, they drove to the asylum. Hatter holding the reins and Alice sitting inside the carriage itself, dreading what she was about to do. She'd never broken into anywhere before, and now she had to go inside and take her aunt out without being noticed? This was something Chessur would be able to do in a snap, but Alice, her evaporation skills were poor at best.

Irisa would be able to do it too, and Alice smiled at the memory of when she'd actually met Irisa for the first time. She'd never thought that they'd become as close of friends as they had, but it was true. And now, with her being married to the Hatter but Alice with him at this very moment, well it was all just much too confusing for her to handle.

They horses stopped suddenly and Alice heard Hatter's voice telling her that they were here. Show time.

Alice stepped out of the carriage and darted down the back of the streets whole Hatter walked up to the front door. He would tell them that he was new to the area and seeking a position as a doctor, and while they were distracted, Alice would try to find a way instead.

Alice hoped that whoever opened the door wouldn't pry too much as to why Hatter wanted the job and would come at night, and that someone had left a window open or possibly a door unlocked.

Sadly, it was the window and less then gracefully Alice jumped up to it and grabbed onto the ledge, pulling herself up and landing down on the floor while her skirts landed around her like a cloud. Luckily, the window was on the same floor as her Aunt was so it wouldn't be like she would be walking down a random astray of hallways for the entire night, and after Alice stood and straightened her skirts so she looked at least somewhat presentable, Alice started walking around, careful not to pass any windows or certain doors were voices could be heard from inside.

Finally, she stopped at the right door and pressed her ear close. Hesitantly, she reached for the knob when she couldn't hear any voices inside and turned it, just enough so that she could, see inside and saw thankfully her aunt was there, sitting on her bed, her eyes shut and her body pulled close to her chest.

Alice pushed the rest of the door open and walked inside, shutting the door quickly behind her and on pointed feet rushed to her aunt's side.

"Aunt Imogene," Alice whispered urgently, shaking her aunt slightly. "Aunt Imogene wake up!"

Her aunt mumbled in her sleep and Alice bit her lip to prevent herself from speaking to loudly. She kept shaking her aunt, pleading with her to wake, splashing her with a bit of water when she finally realized that her aunt must be heavily sedated.

With a frustrated sigh Alice slid down next to her aunt's bed and placed a hand on her head. What could she do now? She couldn't just drag her aunt out of here by force; she wasn't strong enough for that at all. But, maybe if she…no that wouldn't work either.

"Come on, Alice." Alice said out loud. "You have to do something."

Above her, she heard her aunt roan, and Alice kneeled up to see that her aunt had turned over on her side and an idea struck Alice hard.

"You have to get up, Alice." She whispered to her aunt. "You need to wake up, because I need you. Underland needs you."

Her aunt groaned, louder this time, and Alice whipped her head around to see if someone had heard her, but was graciously rewarded that no, she hadn't.

"Alice, wake up." She whispered furiously, leaning in close. "You need to get up. Helen needs you, and you need to help her. Remember what Imogene had told you about….about making Phelan happy? Well, I think you should still do that. You need to help me so that I can help save Underand. Please, wake up."

Before Alice could even finish, her aunt had startled away staring at Alice with a gasp, her eyes never focusing on anything more then once but finally settling on Alice. She slumped in relief, and then, leaned in quickly. "Alice what are you doing here?" 

"I read your diary," Alice told her, and then it all tumbled out. "Imogene, I realized that you're the Alice my mother needs to hear so she can wake up. A bad man made her like that, and knew that the Alice he had in mine would be locked up so that no one would ever be able to find you and mother would stay like that forever. But I figured it out, and you have to help me now."

"Alice..." Aunt Imogene mused. "You mean you know…"

"About you and Phelan." Alice told her. "And I know that he's gone now and…and a new queen has taken rein. A kind woman named Mirana, who is Iracebeth's sister, but is nothing like her. Oh, if you could just meet her, you'd know what a wonderful queen she is."

"Maybe I can," her aunt whispered.

Alice blinked. "What?"

"Alice," Her aunt said softly. "I want to help my sister more than anything, but I want to ask you something. Something I want you to promise me you will do."

"Yes, anything." Alice replied, sure she knew where this was going, but not entire sure she wanted to believe it.

"I want you to take me with you," The original Alice said, in a quiet voice. "Bring me back down the rabbit hole and back down to Underland. I need to see it, just one more time, child. You don't know how long it's been."

Alice stared at her aunt, imagining what it must be like for her. The most beautiful place, taken away from her and now, begging for more than anything to go back, just to see it again.

"Of course," Alice whispered, nodding just to make her point absolutely clear. "I'll take you with me back down to Underland."

**I love Aunt Imogene, and I really think she should go back, so she is. All secrets are out, maybe. Most of them anyway, so now all they have to do is get back to Underland, with Stayne in tow and beat him, once and for all. Problems solved! Review? **


	22. Not Forgotten

**Chapter 22, please enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: Don't own any of it! **

"Thank you," Aunt Imogene whispered, shutting her eyes briefly for a moment, and Alice wanted to wrap her arms around her aunt and just stay in this moment forever, but they needed to go.

"Imogene, we need to go." Alice told her, reaching for her aunt's hand and pulling her up to her feet. "Right now."

"Yes, of course." Her aunt agreed, standing up so quickly Alice nearly fell backward as she did the same. "We have to hurry though, they do checks on us hourly."

"Alright," Alice ran over to the door with her Aunt on her heels, and pressed her hear close to the wood. She couldn't hear anything outside, and thankfully, they were alone.

"Follow me," Alice whispered and then the two women were of, running as quickly as possible to the pen window where Alice had come from. They were so close, now Alice could feel the cool breeze as they rounded a sudden, yet familiar corner, when they heard a low threatening voice.

"Stop right there," he said and both of them froze, and then Alice me the hard dark gaze of Stayne. Or as he was known in this world, Nigel Doyle.

"I knew you would do this, Alice." He said in a bored voice, as he leaned casually against a near wall. "You are getting quite…predicable, aren't you?"

Alice glared at Stayne with distaste while Imogene placed a hand on her back. Startled, Alice turned slightly and saw Imogene was nodding to the still opened window. Alice gave her aunt a small nod and took a hesitant step forward, eyes still on Stayne but he was shaking his head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Alice." He warned, and Alice looked away, back towards the window. And while she gazed at the window and felt the night's cold touch she heard a loud click that echoed throughout the halls.

"I will use it, you know." Stayne said a matter of factly and beside her Alice felt her aunt stiffen. Cautiously, Alice turned her head back to see Stayne.

He had a gun in his hands.

Alice had never seen a gun up close before, and seeing one only five feet away in the hands of a man who would love nothing more to end her life with the easy slip of the finger didn't make her feel much better.

"Stayne…." Alice said calmly, but he pointed the gun at her directly now, and Alice shut her mouth.

"Oh, so now you'll be silent, hm?" He asked. "I should have gotten one of these sooner then. Though it wasn't easy you know. I took it from your sister's home. Margret, isn't it?"

Alice was frozen with terror and angry, so the knave kept speaking.

"I went to her house after you returned. It's still abandoned you know, everything just as she left it. I almost wish that I could have kept her around, you know? She and her husband were so interesting." Stayne let his voice trail of while his words dawned onto Alice.

"What did you do to them?" She hissed.

"Me?" Stayne asked, his face the perfect mask of innocence. "Oh, I didn't do a thing. In fact, I have not the slightest idea where they even are."

"You're lying!" Alice cried, and her aunt grabbed her suddenly, mouthing. _Be quiet_.

It was funny, how in a locked asylum, the craziest one of all was outside, and pointing a gun at her and her aunt, who were at least somewhat sane. But it wasn't funny that no one had come to their rescue yet.

"You know, I don't believe we've met." Stayne said conversationally, moving his gaze onto her aunt. "You must be Imogene."

Alice's aunt was utterly silent.

"You know, I knew your friend." He continued. "Oh, what was his name….that's right! Phelan. Phelan the Prince of hearts."

Aunt Imogene's eyes widened, and something in her eyes shined, which made Alice only feel much worse, because she knew that something was coming. Something bad.

"He was a great king." Stayne continued. "A true leader. But, it was just so sad what happened to him."

"What?" Imogene's voice came out in the smallest of whispers.

"He and his wife had many differences." Stayne was saying. "But, I think what really pushed her over the edge when her younger sister was given the crown. After that, well, she was against anybody. And then…"

"Stayne..." Alice threatened, but he barley looked at her.

"She found a letter one day, signed Imogene. But she knew it wasn't from her mother. After that, she knew she could never trust him. He might have left her he could have been having an affair. Shree knew his love wasn't hers so…" He stopped for a moment and made sure Aunt Imogene looked him straight in the eye when he told her. "She killed him."

That's when the Kingsley woman tackled him.

"Alice!" Aunt Imogene cried, and Alice was grabbing for the gun, while Stayne did his best to push her off him. Her hands felt the barrel of the gun, it's cool metal brushing her fingers and sending a cold chill up along through her body.

With a grunt, Stayne kicked her in the stomach, and Alice felt back, with the gun still in hand. Quickly, just a second quicker than Stayne, Alice scrambled to her feet and pointed the gun at Stayne.

She'd expected him to at least like slightly afraid, but he just stared at her, with an amused expression.

"Don't. Move." Alice told him, her voice dripping with hatred.

"Oh, are you threatening me, Alice?" Stayne asked softly, and Alice felt her finger itch to pull the trigger.

"Yes, I am." She said automatically.

Stayne snorted. "Like you even could," He took a few steps toward her. "You're too weak to pull that trigger. You didn't kill the Jabberwocky, the vopal sword did. And we both know that no matter what-"

Suddenly, Stayne fell to the ground, and behind him stood Imogene, with a large book in her hands.

"I was sick of hearing him talk," She told Alice causally.

Alice nodded. "Me too,"

Alice stared down at the gun in her hands and then laid it on the floor. She couldn't use a gun, she knew she couldn't. They stared walking towards the open window, thankful that no one had come to find that they were leaving, when she heard a small scratching noise.

Curiously, Alice turned and walked over to one of the doors, despite the look she got from her Aunt. The scratching noise was faint, utterly so but it kept bothering Alice. Hesitantly, she opened the door, and peeked inside.

It was dark inside, but through the window and the light of the moon she saw that inside there was a desk, a bed and a book shelve and on the desk, was a cage. And inside, was an utterly familiar figure that Alice nearly screamed with delight at the sight, but instead, she just whispered.

"Mctwisp?"

**Did we all forget that Mctwisp was still missing throughout all this? I mean seriously, he is still a character on Wonderland, right? Please review because you love my random rants and cliff hangers and such. **


	23. One Happy Ending

**Chapter 23! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything Alice in wonderland. But if I did I would have kept the Hatter and Alice kissing scenes in the movie. Just saying. **

"Alice!" Mctwisp examined with delight as Alice ran towards the cage and pulled the lock open. The moment the metal clanged to the floor the white rabbit had jumped into Alice's arms. "Thank you, Alice. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"Mctwisp," Alice said, uneasily, looking around the room, slightly. "What are you doing here?"

"He kidnapped me," Mctwisp replied, obviously unsettled by her question. "When I was looking for Tarrant, but I couldn't find him. At least, not the real him. Instead I ended up finding a man who you described to me as Tarrant, but it was really Stayne. He's been keeping me here for weeks, and….and…"

"What?" Alice asked, quickly. "What Nivens?"

"Alice, where is he?" He asked suddenly, squirming around to face her. "Is he near now?"

"Yes, Imogene knocked him out, a few minutes ago." Alice explained. "Don't worry Mctwisp; you'll be fine, I promise."

"Alice," Mctwisp said sternly, and jumped out o0f her hands, rushing out to the hallway, where he let out a small cry and Alice came chasing after him.

Standing where Stayne had been was Aunt Imogene, staring down in disbelief at Mctwisp. No, she was staring straight down, at where Stayne's unconscious body had been.

"Aunt Imogene, what happened?" Alice asked, and her Aunt looked up at her with scared eyes.

"I don't know." She whispered staring back down at the floor. "I was waiting for you to come back, when…when he just vanished. Out of thin air."

"What?" Alice exclaimed, but Mctwisp was nodding with as if it were exactly what he'd thought would happen.

"It's his backup plan." the white rabbit explained, staring up at Alice with a grave expression. "In case anyone was to find me, he would disappear, out of thin air, no matter where he was. He would return back to Underland, where he could get his army ready."

"Underland?" Imogene breathed at the same time Alice said. "Army?"

Nivens nodded. "He told me that I was just the bait and when you found me he knew it was time for the real game to begin."

"So..."Alice whispered, shutting her eyes briefly. "He's already gone."

Mctwisp nodded. "And we have to go too."

"What?" Alice and Imogene exclaimed, this time in utter unison.

"We need to return to Underland immediately so that we can prepare for the battle that is ensured to take place very soon." Mctwisp said rapidly. "Stayne will be assembling his army just as we speak, and I'm sure we don't have much time until he's on the attack.

"Then let's go." Alice said, picking up Mctwisp and running towards the still open window before she turned to Aunt Imogene who was staring ghastly back at Alice. "What?"

"Alice, are you sure we're ready for this?" Her aunt stuttered, and Alice was sad to say, she didn't really have an answer for her. So instead, they both climbed out of the window, and went back to the carriage where hopefully, hatter was waiting.

. . .

"We need to what?" Hatter exclaimed, his stunning green eyes wide.

"We need to go back to Underland, tonight." Alice explained still in a total rational manor. Even though, She, her Aunt Imogene whom they'd just broken out of an asylum, Mctwisp, who was still rubbing his paws together and him were all driving to her mother's home where they could wake her up. "Because Stayne is already back and we need to prepare for battle."

"But, Alice-" Hatter tried to interrupted.

"No, Hatter!" Alice exclaimed. "We need to do this. For everyone. Irisa, Nicholas, Mirana, Mally, chess…they're counting on us to be ready, and now is the time to go back."

"I know," He replied, and Alice gave him a hopeful look while he turned around to watching his way to her mother's house.

Alice grinned as she shut the small door that separated her from the outside of their carriage and turned back to her two companions who were in a deep conversation about how much Underland has changed.

Finally, Hatter stopped the horses, and Alice opened the door and found they were standing in front the house where Alice had spent her days since birth. Silently, they all walked inside, everyone taking in exactly what was inside while Alice walked straight to her mother's bedroom.

Helen was paler then last time. Her fair hair stiff and lifeless and her breathing quiet shallow. Alice felt her intake of breath and then Hatter was behind her while Imogene was next. Alice took a step forward, and hatter moved aside so that the elder Liddell sister could pass.

She sat down on her sister's bedside, and held her little sister's hand. Alice saw something flash, a spot of color perhaps? Something, that Alice couldn't have explained if you'd let her, and then, Imogene was leaning into her sister's he d and in a voice sweeter and quieter then

Alice had ever heard, she whispered. "Helen, wake up, honey. It's time to wake up."

And nothing. Nothing happened.

Everything in the room stood still, and Alice felt a cry rise up her throat when suddenly, her mother's eyelids fluttered. And then she was stirring, taking deeper breaths as the color flashed into her cheeks and she was alive!

Alice ran towards her mother's bedside and grabbed her other hand while Helen finally opened her eye sat last, and at the sight of her daughter and her sister, she smiled slightly.

"Mother," Alice whispered.

"My Alice," Her mother replied in a soft voice, and the n she looked over to her aunt and her smile widened slightly. "Both of my Alices."

The nest thing she knew, Alice was crying, and so was her mother and he aunt. Finally, things were right in this world. Her mother was safe, absolutely so, and something in Alice, finally clicked.

Someone sat next to her, and Alice smiled as Hatter put his arm around Alice's waist and pulled her closer to him with Mctwisp oat Imogen's side. Alice didn't know if it was a romantic gesture, or just one of friendship, and she didn't care. She was just happy to be here, with her family.

"Alice?" Helen asked, in a strange voice.

"Yes mother?" Alice asked, in a slightly confused tone.

"Would you mind explaining to me why there is a rabbit, in a waistcoat on my bed?" She asked, in a slightly playful tone.

"Well," Alice said with a sigh. "That is a very long story."

**Aw, happy ending. Or at least the beginning of one. But this is only the BEGINNING OF THE END! Mwa ha ha ha (More evil laughter). Please review! **


	24. Together

**Chapter 24. Lately, I've been feeling like I've been kind of rushing this fan fiction, so I re read my original on and decided to take this one a little slower, adding more details, I guess. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Alice in Wonderland, but I wish I do. **

When Alice had finished telling her story, she stared at her mother with an apologetic expression. She'd told her everything, about falling down the rabbit hole the first time after hearing her aunt's story, to fighting the jabberwocky and then taking Nicholas down to Underland as well. And she told her mother about Stayne, and the horrible curse that he'd put on her mother.

"That…monster, did this to me?" Helen asked, after Alice had finally stopped speaking.

Alice nodded. "Yes, and he arranged it so only one of us could wake you up. Which is why we brought Imogene."

"But…." Helen whispered. "You said my finger moved when your sister said your name Shouldn't you have…."

"Helen," Aunt Imogene said, squeezing her sister's hand. "My name wasn't always Imogene, remember? Our parents named me Alice, but I changed my name when I fell down the rabbit hole because the queen wanted her name to live on. It was the only thing I could think to do."

"And Stayne thought that I would never be able to put the pieces together, realizing that my aunt's real name was Alice and that she was the only person that could wake you up." Alice added.

"Goodness." Helen whispered, raising a hand to her mouth. And frankly, Alice couldn't blame her. This was all a lot to take in, especially after being asleep for such a long period of time. "Then what do we do now?"

Alice gave her mother a sad smile. "We have to go back, mother."

. . .

On hour later, Alice found herself grabbing the few things she'd brought with her when she'd returned to London. She walked over to her closet and pulled out her dark blue cloak, draping it around her shoulders and tying it at the front of her neck.

She grabbed her book, which she'd been leafing through constantly; going over and over the pages until she'd had every picture committed to memory, and her Aunt's diary too. Then she picked up the crystal necklace and walked to her bedroom door. She looked around her aunt's room one last time and with a small smile, shut the door and left in search of everyone else.

They met in the foyer, just as they'd promised earlier and got ready to go down the rabbit hole. Alice stopped, halfway down the stairs and stared down at her aunt and her friend. Mctwisp was looking better, Imogene had given him a proper bath, and Imogene herself looked absolutely giddy, almost like a child on Christmas morning.

"Are you ready, Alice?" Hatter asked, appearing next to her as easily as Chessur was able to do. Alice wanted to grin, remembering she was about to see Chess, and Mallymkun and everyone else that she'd miss. She'd left something with them, she knew. Some part of her that only they could fill, maybe because they were part of Underland where she'd always truly belonged, or maybe because they were her family. But probably both.

"I'm ready," Alice whispered, and felt her smile grow, as she turned to face the Hatter. "Are you?"

It seemed like such a simple question to Alice, but Hatter's answer was more complex than anything. "I will be." They just stared then. Completely unaware of Imogene and Nivens who were just standing a few feet away from them in the room, and just enjoyed the moment that they'd shared.

She remembered, dimly, as if it was some other part of her remembering while another part just lavished in this present, about what she'd told Hamish a few hours before.

_You're in love with him, aren't you? _Hamish had asked, and Alice had known, as she'd always known that she'd never meant to live in London, or China or anywhere else, because her true home would always be her Wonderland, that she truly and unbelievably was in love with the crazy, strange, odd, unbelievably talented, absolutely and completely mad hatter.

"Alice?" Nivens asked, and Alice turned around to see both him and her aunt staring up at her curiously. No, staring at both her _and_ the Hatter curiously.

Heat rushed into Alice's white cheeks and she gazed down at her hands. _Why am I blushing? _Alice thought suddenly, angry with herself._ We were just talking, weren't we? _

"We're ready to go." Imogene told them, and both Hatter and Alice nodded. Imogene turned away, walking towards the west wing of the manor and opening a single door that must have led to the backyard and pulling them open, sending a cold chill throughout the entire room that touched each of them. Alice pulled her cloak closer to her body, while she finished descending down the rest of the stairs and followed her aunt out the door. Just outside, she paused to see Hatter kneeling down, peaking in soft hushed tones with Nivens who was staring at him intently, and Alice didn't have the urge to ask what they were doing.

She turned away and kept walking down the cobbled walk way after her aunt, barley able to see Imogene as she faded in night's dark surroundings and the tall trees. Alice kept walking though, and soon they were stepping out of the group of trees and walking straight outside, into the open.

Alice took a deep breath and started to rush, walking faster in case someone might have spotted hem when she saw a patch of rectangular light a few feet in front of her.

With a small cry of shock she turned, and saw a dark figure standing in the window, staring down at her. The window was closed, but Alice could just make out his red locks and she froze, only able to give him a desperate pleading look.

For a moment, neither moved, then, he disappeared and Alice felt her limbs able to move again, but Hamish returned, opened the window, and held out his arm.

Alice watched, like a scared doe at the sight of a ravenous wolf, while something floated down towards her. Alice reached out and grabbed a small slip of paper that had fallen down from the sky and opened it up, using the light of Hamish's window to read the two words that had been written in the paper.

_Good luck. _

Alice smiled brightly and looked up a Hamish and nodded to him, and then she turned away and ran into the woods, after her Aunt Hamish's two little words giving her the strength to run faster than ever before.

And finally, she found the large dead tree that she'd learn to memorize, so that she could find it anywhere, even in the dark. She felt its rough bark while her fingers trailed over it and saw as Imogene gave her a smile as she sat down on the edge of the hole and slide herself inside.

Footsteps sounded behind Alice, and she turned to see Mctwisp running towards her with Hatter at his paws. His white fur was stark against the night, and he seemed to be just a blur as he eager jumped down into the holes blackness.

Hatter sat down on the outer edge of the hole, letting his legs dangle inside and Alice followed suit, so that the two of them were sitting there, side by side, surrounded by the night and utterly alone.

"Together?" Hatter asked, holding out his hand.

Alice nodded. "Together," She whispered, and clasped his hand tightly in hers and they both fell down the rabbit hole, hand in hand.

**Aw, more Alice and Hatter moments, why did I stop writing those in there? I seriously need to work on that. Did you enjoy it? I enjoyed Hamish being awesome and not the tool he usual is. Review please!**


	25. Follow Me

**Chapter 25, enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything Alice in Wonderland. **

As the fell down the hole, Alice let go of Hatter's hand and shut her eyes. It seems no matter how may time she may have fallen down the hole to Underland, she would always fight the urge to scream, and this time, surprising herself she didn't. Instead, she fell through the already holed celling and hit the ground hard.

"Alice?" Someone called, and Alice looked, up, finding herself staring at the chandler only two feet away from her. In a second she was being thrown to the floor, her head cracking against the floor with a sickening thump.

With her head throbbing, Alice looked up and saw Nivens, Imogene and finally, Hatter, who'd landed a few seconds after Alice herself, staring at her with hesitant happy expressions except for Hatter who was practically beaming, his eyes constantly trailing upwards to the ceiling. Alice felt herself smile too as she sat up, running a hand through her long tangled curls when she noticed something. Hatter's dulled green eyes were now exceedingly bright, and his dark hair was now it's usually brilliant orange. Hatter looked like his old self again; something Alice was secretly enjoying a lot.

"Alright," Mctwisp said, hoping over to where the small table that sat in the center of the room stood and grabbing the small bottle of amber colored liquid hat Alice had learned to be pishalver, and the key to open the door, then crouched down to open the small glass box and pull out some upelkuchen. "Each of you will take a sip of the pishalver and then go outside. I'll hand you your clothing through the door and then I'll give you my clothing and hand you the upelkuchen so you can grow. Then, I'll come out after I drink the pishalver.

Everyone nodded. It was a good plan, plus Alice would rather see Mctwisp, who was just a plain rabbit than anyone else nude. The rabbit in question turned to Aunt Imogene who took a quick sip of the pishalver and handed it back to Mctwisp before she started shrinking. Then he passed it to Hatter and then Alice.

Once they were all tiny, Mctwisp grabbed the key he'd put with the upelkuchen and hopped over to where the small door was hidden behind a large curtain. Putting they key into the lock, he opened the front door and guested for everyone to go inside. Imogene went first again, taking a handful of her clothing and covering herself with it while dragging the rest slowly behind her, which Nivens helped push inside, and Alice followed suit. Only Hatter stayed, still staring up at the celling.

"Hatter?" Alice asked. "Come on, we have to go."

Hater turned to her slightly and nodded, grabbing his shirt and rolling it up so he could walk and following as Alice went through the door.

"Ready?" Nivens asked, holding out his own clothing and Hatter's pants when all three of them were outside. They all nodded, when something crashed from inside making Alice jump.

"Tarrant," Mctwisp said in a slightly annoyed tone, hopping away and returning with Hatter's unforgettable hat which he tossed easily so that it landed in front of Hatter.

"So that's what you were waiting for, eh?" Imogene asked, and Alice grinned. Her aunt sounded so much better then she had in London, so much more chipper and happy. She missed hat a lot.

"Of course," Hatter replied with a grin, his gapped tooth smile back as well. "What is a Hatter without his hat?"

"Confused?" Alice suggested and he gave her an amused sideways glance.

"Hello?" Mctwisp asked, and they all realized that they were still only a foot tall and needed to eat the upelkuchen.

Alice ran towards it, picking it up from Mctwisp's hand and took a bite, instantly feeling herself grow, but she quickly put it over her head and managed to keep herself decent whole she grew. Once she led her head through the right hole and her arms free of the tangled mess, she passed it to her aunt who ate it hesitantly as she started to grow and then finally Hatter did as well. Finally, Mctwisp took a bite, having come out of the door while Alice was growing and they were all finally proper size and ready to go to Marmoreal. 

Underland hadn't changed since Alice had left, and she smiled at everything. Flowers talked about morning drabbles, rocking horseflies flew around the sky, chasing after one another while the occasional dragonfly darted in and out. As they walked down the stairs, Alice turned to Hatter. "You should create a dress that can grow and shrink when we do. It would be much easier than going back and forth with the clothing all the time, don't you think?"

Hatter nodded, smiling even wider while he placed his Hatter on his wild mess of his hair. "What a splendid idea, Alice."

"Yes," A voice from above them agreed and everyone looked up as a pristine blue butterfly landed down on Alice's shoulder.

"Absolem," Alice breathed and smiled. "I've missed you."

The butterfly nodded. "Of course you have, stupid girl. You've missed everyone here, haven't you?"

Alice just nodded, not wanting to correct Absolem that she wasn't a stupid girl.

"So," The butterfly mused, his hookah pointing towards Alice so that some smoke floated up into her face making her want to cough. "Where are you going?"

"To Marmoreal," Nivens explained, hoping down each individual step on his back legs. "We need to speak with Queen Mirana immediately."

"And how," Absolem said. "Will you get there? You're far from there, aren't you? And if your news is indeed urgent."

Alice shrugged still walking down the stairs until finally her feet hi the cobble stoned floor. "I don't know. Maybe we could have….um…."

"Is there anywhere to get there faster?" Imogene asked, her dark eyes sparking with curiosity. "If there is, please will you help us?"

"Of course," The butterfly replied and fluttered of Alice's shoulder and hovered in front of them all, only a few feet away from them. "Anything to help our champion finish her quest."

With a deep sigh Absolem exhale deeply, sending a large fog of smoke that surrounded everyone, even Mctwisp who as back to standing on all fours. The smoke grew darker and then, Absolem's voice floated towards them from a direction Alice couldn't place.

"Follow me," He replied, and there was a flash of blue for one moment and then it was gone. Alice reached out her hands, and something grabbed one, a warm familiar hand and then something rubbed against her leg. Alice bent down and picked up Mctwisp, carrying him in one arm while clinging desperately to the hand in the fog as they followed blindly after the small blur of blue.

**I don't like this one a lot because nothing really interesting happened. Oh well, all I can do is write the next chapter better! Review! **


	26. Next Time

**Chapter 26. Enjoy. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland anything! **

As the blue fog finally cleared, Alice started to trip and then, she felt Mctwisp fall from her grasp. Alice let go of whoever's hand she was clinging to and then reach doubt for something to stop her fall and felt her fingers spread over a large cold wall.

"Where are we?" Alice whispered, taking a few steps back to look up straight at the wall. It was about seven or eight feet tall and made of tough gray bricks. Alice turned around and watched in fascination as Imogene walked out of the fog and Hatter follow, holding Mctwisp who was squirming slightly in his arms. Absolem had disappeared so it was just the four of them.

"The white queen's castle," Mctwisp replied, jumping out of Hatter's arms. "This is the kind of brick we'd built the back wall out of.

"Back wall?" Hatter asked, brushing off something from his hat.

Nivens nodded. "We'd built it so we could have a training area outside but so no one could see it. "

Everyone stared up at the wall and then, Alice heard a loud clang from behind it and flinched. "They're practicing." She mused.

Suddenly Hatter was running at the wall, gripping at imaginary holes and climbing along the bricks. He was about halfway to the top when Alice realized what he was doing and followed him.

"Come on," She whispered, "It's easier than walking around." She placed her hands in the holes hatter's feet had just been and kept pulling herself up until he gripped her hand and pulled her up beside him so that they 're both siting on the edge of the wall.

From behind she could hear Imogene climbing up with Mctwisp, who Alice saw was climbing onto Imogene's back when she told them what she was doing and then, she and Hatter were helping her up to the edge of the wall. It was about a foot thick, so everyone could sit on it comfortably, their legs dangling along the edge while they just sat there, and finally, they saw who was practicing in the gardens.

Everyone.

Alice saw knights slashing at each other with swords, taking jabs and blows at one another and then pointing out ways they could have blocked the blow or kill their opponents. And Alice saw her friends, Mallymkun practicing with her needle, slashing taller plants in half. She saw Chess appearing in and out around her, and then caring Thackery too. The tweedles were deep in concentration as they thrust at one another with sticks and they even saw Mirana spinning a sword, something Alice had never imagined in a million years. And in the middle of it, were Irisa and Nicholas.

Irisa's dark hair was pulled into a tight braid; similar to the one Alice had seen her in when they'd first meet. She was warring on of her Irisa-y outfits. She had on a dress that reached her knees, her skirts constantly spinning and blowing into a perfect circle of ruffles. Her top was teal with a black corset and puffy purple sleeves that matched her skirt. She had on dark purple and black stocking and lace up boots like a man's.

Nicholas's dark green shirt and brown pants were anything but glamorous in Irisa's company, and right now they were both moving faster than Alice had ever seen them. Their swords were constantly clanging with one another's Irisa's quick sharp movements always nearly landing the blow but Nicholas' strength was able to work in his favor.

Finally, it was over, Irisa's quick movements had been able to keep him always staggering and suddenly with little force Irisa had him on the ground, the tip of her sword barley a few inches from his neck, and the match was over.

Alice grinned and she started to clap, and son Hatter was following suit. They clapped loudly and Imogene and Mctwisp even joined, creating a loud sound and then, one of the soldiers stared right at them and said in a clear voice. "Is that our champion?"

Suddenly, everyone had dropped everything they were doing and were running towards the wall, where Hatter, Alice, Imogene and Mctwisp sat. Everyone talking at once until Mirana had silenced them all with a single raised hand and she turned to her champion.

"Our champion," She told them. "Has returned." Everyone went into a big cheer at that, and then Mirana told them practice was canceled for the day and too go back inside the castle. Everyone left except for Mirana, Irisa, Nicholas, Chess, Mally, Thackery and the tweedles. With a grin Chess would be utterly proud of, Alice jumped off the brick all, landing in front of Mirana on unsteadily legs and bringing her in for a close hug.

"We've missed you," she whispered into Alice's ear.

Alice nodded. "I missed you too."

Once Mirana let her go, the tweedles surrounded her, asking her endless questions. When did she get back? What did she see in Underland? Did she find Stayne? How did she get so big? Then, someone had wrapped their arms form behind her and was twirling her around so much she nearly fell when they put her on her own ferret. "Where have you been, Alice?" 

"In London, remember?" Alice asked in a joking tone.

Nicholas grinned. "Next time, I'm going to have to lock you I your room."

"Oh come on, Nicholas." A voice sang, and Alice turned to see Irisa skipping over to them. "She had to leave you here or else you'd never learn how to wield a sword." She shook her head, her braid twisting around her neck like a snake. "Honestly Alice, you weren't kiding about not going easily on Nicholas. I wanted to kill him myself some of them time." Both girls stared at each other for moment and then they were running, wraping their arms around one another and holding, Alice's eyes growing wet as she thanked Irisa for everything that she'd done.

"I'm coming with you on your next adventure into a strange world tracking down a force of evil into a new world." Irisa told her a matter-of-factly.

Alice nodded, pulling back and gazing at Irisa's rainbow tinted eyes. "It's a promise."

**Again, not one of my favorites! I don't know why but I am just like….ugh totally not letting my creative juices fly. Sorry, but I still wrote it for you guys. Don't hate me too much. Review? **


	27. The Final Time

**Chapter 27, sorry I disappeared forever, all my work was wiped so I had to rewrite this chapter. Sucky. Enjoy! **

"So," Irisa said as the door shut behind her softly, while her hands went to untie her braid. "Did you find him?"

Alice nodded, sitting onto the edge of her bed. "Yes, and he was…." How Alice could put into words how much worse Stayne had gotten. Words flooded to mind but the most haunting were not even hers. He's more magic then man now, Iracebeth had warned. "More of a monster than I remember,"

Irisa nodded in understanding, letting her dark hair fly free. "I can only imagine how much worse he could have gotten." Irisa shuttered, her rainbow eyes afraid. "But," She added in a more cheerful tone, skipping over to the bed and landing down next to Alice, lying on her side to face Alice. "We'll be done with him soon enough, won't we?"

"What do you mean?" Alice's words were hollow.

"Well," Irisa replied, sitting up. "We're going to have to fight him, and I don't think both of you are going to leave the battle field alive." Irisa gazed at Alice solemnly. "I've seen what he can do to people, Alice. He's more ruthless than any other creature I've ever encountered and I can only assume what's changed about him since he's been gone."

Alice nodded, tucking her legs close to her body as she stared off into space as she unpacked her booms that she'd brought with her, her aunts and her own.

"What are those?" Irisa asked curiously, walking over to where Alice was standing.

"This one," Alice pointed to her journal. "Is my book. I put everything about Underland in it, including you." She grinned teasingly. "And this one is my aunt's. She wrote in it when she first came to Underland."

"Wow," Irisa breathed, picking up the red book delicately. "It's beautiful."

Alice nodded. "And old. She wrote in it when she was younger than I was."

Irisa's eyes widened. "Really?"

Alice nodded. "Yes, and I wrote in mine when I first came back." She picked up the worn lather book. "Everyone's in it, even you."

Irisa grinned. "Interesting," She grabbed it from Alice's hands before Alice could even blink and started flipping through the pages, sighing and smiling at the pictures. "These are beautiful."

Alice was about to thank her and tell her that Nicholas had drawn them but before she could or know what she was consciously doing she was asking Irisa. "What's it like to be in love?"

Irisa's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" she stammered quickly.

"Um," Alice asked sheepishly, her eyes gazing down at her bedspread. "When you were engaged to Hatter or and before that. What had it felt like to first be in love? I mean, how did you know?"

"Well," Irisa said awkwardly, and Alice looked up, hoping to meet her friend's rainbow eyes, but they were staring straight down at her lap. "At first we were friends, really. And then something just changed and he became all I could think about. And I just kind of knew, this is what love must feel like." She shrugged and looked up at Alice with a faraway look in her eyes. "I remember once he touched my hand and I just well….shivered I guess."

Alice froze, hoping that her face had kept the shock from her friend's words hidden. That was...well exactly what she felt when she spoke to the Hatter a lot, especially when she came back to Underland in the first place.

"Um," Irisa mumbled and Alice turned to her friend, suddenly realizing that she'd missed about half of what Irisa was saying. "Alice, can I ask _you_ a question?"

"Of course," Alice replied, putting a strand of long blonde hair behind her ear. "What is it?"

"Well," Irisa said hesitantly, walking over to the vanity and the small table near it. She picked up the small blue teapot that had been living in Alice's room more than Alice herself had and a small white cup. She tipped the pot and blue colored liquid came out of it, steaming as it filed the cup. "Alice, you know that I think of you like my sister, don't you?"

Alice nodded. "Yes?" 

"And I hope you've thought of me as a sister too, in light of certain circumstances." Irisa admitted sheepishly

Alice nodded, a bit more carefully. She had always loved Irisa like a sister, she was always there for her even as her status as Mrs. Hightopp. Alice remembered how Irisa had told her she knew that Alice had once cared very deeply for the Hatter, but why was she bringing it up now?

"I feel like I can tell you anything," Irisa continued, blowing on her tea so it was much color. "Like, I could tell you something no one else should know. And that's what I kind of want to tell you." She stopped and took a deep breath. "Alice, I-"

At that exact moment someone screamed from inside the castle and Irisa's wrist jerked, spilling her tea all over the front of her dress.

"Oh," Irisa gasped, dropping the cup as Alice jumped up. The front of Irisa's corset was soaked and so was her skirt. "I should go change,"

"No," Alice said, running to her closet and pulling out a dress at random. "We should go find out who just screamed," she turned to her friend. "Here," She tossed Irisa the green dress she had in her hand. "Change into this."

"Um," Irisa bit her lip, holding her hands in front of her. "That's alright, Alice. I'll just run to my room and get changed; I have to get something anyway." She was already running to the door and had disappeared thorough it before Alice could say anything, wondering why her friend had acted so strangely. They were very close tin size, why should she have wasted time going all the way to her room?

_Sort it out later, Alice. _Alice thought sternly_. You have to go now. _Alice nodded to herself and followed the way her friend had gone, she had to go find whoever had screamed and now.

_. . . _

Alice found the queen in the hallway outside of the throne room.

They hadn't spoken much since she'd returned but now Alice had to speak to her. She looked more worried that Alice had ever seen her. Her dark lips pursed and her hands clasped at her chest and her white hair was slightly more disheveled than it should have been which Alice could see even from her distance at the other end of the corridor.

"Your majesty," Alice called and the queen turned towards her, her eyes widening and filling with relief. "What's going on?"

"Alice," The queen breathed, running towards her much more quickly than Alice had ever seen her run. "We have to hurry. You need to get ready right away."

"Why?" Alice asked. "What's happening?"

"It's Stayne, Alice." Mirana whispered. "He's here, and he's coming very soon."

"What?" Alice whispered. "But I, we just got here. I thought-"

"You have to get ready Alice," The queen said sternly. "It's time for our champion to fight again."

**Yay, time for the big battle scene! Review! **


	28. Miracle

**Chapter 28 and yes I has a new name. I'm in a rut; I need to change something, so new name. Ta-da. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Alice in Wonderland at all. Just dream I do. And I am not ready to wake up yet. **

The world seemed to know what was going to happen today. The sun tried to burst through the clouds but they were here to stay, a dark reminder of the dark things sure to come. Alice held onto her sword tightly, her hands curled into the fur of her Bandersnatch while she rode.

"Are you ready Alice?" The queen had asked before she'd started the march. Her dark eyes were sincere and honest but still utterly afraid too. Alice knew that no matter what, she needed to save her and her kingdom.

Alice nodded. "Always," And then they were off.

The battle field was the same one that they'd first come to when they were to battle. Things had started to grow again, unlike the dead things that clung around the pillars and stairs but Alice had a feeling their lives would be cut shorter very soon. From up ahead, there was movement stomping towards them, and Alice got her first glimpse at Stayne's army.

They were monstrous. Huge ogres and giants, their skins dark and their eyes filed with fiery hate. Some brandished large clubs and others came with their bare fists. Animals had joined the rebel army too, leopards with quick agile bodies and dark wolves with hackles raised. Alice watched as a pair of men, if you could call them that, each holding chains struggle to pull a large dark colored creature that had the body of a lion but had horns on his head and large dark wings. It turned to glare at Alice and she took quick breath when she saw that its eyes were slit, like a snakes. It was beastly.

"A Kimreit." Irisa mumbled next to her. She had followed alongside Alice while Hatter stood next to her and then Nicholas. "I thought they were extinct."

"Guess not," Nicholas replied softly, and Alice grew ten times more afraid. Whatever the thing was, it was terrifying, and deadly. And probably coming after her.

Leading the head of the pack, his dark hair slightly blowing with the quick steps he took, was Stayne. He had his eye patch back, and was wearing a dark suit of armor. Everything bout him was swift and precise and Alice wanted nothing more than to run her blade through his heart at that very minute. At least, if he'd even possessed such a thing.

There was another issue with the other army that Alice hadn't even considered.

"They just keep…coming." Nicholas whispered, and Alice nodded. Stayne's army was large much larger than Mirana's. For every one knight there seemed to be another tree on Stayne's side, and they weren't even human. The swords Red and white knights gripped so tightly would do nothing against their hard bodies, there was no way they could do this.

Alice turned to the other side of her, gazing down at her friends who stood in a line next to her. Mctwisp who was gripping his brass horn in both of his wife paws so tight, it was hard to tell they were shaking, Mallymkun who had her needle in hand, holding it out to fight off anyone who came near, The March Hare who was wielding a soup ladle and then she saw chess disappear from where he floated and reappear at her shoulder.

"We're out numbered," Alice whispered, turning back to stare at the growing army across the battle field.

"I noticed," Chess replied.

"What are we going to do?" Alice asked softly.

"We're going to wait," Chessur replied, and then disappeared again.

Alice sighed and shut her eyes, hoping that Chess meant that something would happen that would save them all. Anything that would prevent the dark future that she was faced with. A miracle, a hope, anything.

They kept coming.

Nothing else did.

Finally, Stayne's army was only ten feet away from them when Stayne lifted his right hand and everyone behind him stopped walking. Then Stayne continued alone and Mirana sighed and slide off her horse. She started walking up to the middle of the field while Mctwisp followed her obediently behind.

About halfway there, Stayne raised his hand. "You will go no farther, your majesty."

Mirana stopped quickly her hands still raised at her wait and her dark eyes fixed on Stayne with sadness. "Ilostovic Stayne," Mirana said in a clear voice. "You've come to challenge me,"

"For the good of Underland," Stayne explained, his face turning up t the corners. "We deserve a leader who isn't as afraid as you are, and who doesn't trust her country in the hands of an outsider."

"Your declaration war is for your pride and nothing more," Mirana replied smoothly, and Alice fought the urge to smile. "But, if you wish to fight than we will ungratefully meet your challenge." Mirana took a few steps back. 'Send forth your champion, Ilostovic Stayne."

"Oh, no your majesty." Stayne replied, taking a step forward. "In this war, everyone will fight."

Alice froze. Everyone? She'd thought that teaching them was just a backup if someone interfered like last year.

Mirana shut her eyes, and from where Alice sat she saw her back tense up. "As you wish," She whispered, and turned to walk back to the line of defense where her friends stood when Stayne pulled out his sword. With a quick hand he threw it and sent it towards the queen's back, too quick for anyone to do anything and too quick for here to jump out of the way.

"Mirana!" Alice cried, even though she knew that just calling her name would do nothing to stop the sword from flying straight into her. Quickly, Mirana turned and watched with horror as the sword came closer to her faster than anything Alice had ever seen.

And then, it was on the ground a few feet away.

For a few moments no one dared move, and then Stayne turned around as if something from his side had stopped the blow.

Then, the strangest sound filled the air around them. Like a buzzing but then followed stomps and thuds and now everyone was gazing towards Stayne's army. And then, as the sounds got louder, one Knight called out in a loud clear voice.

Everyone turned to the open side of the field, away from where Alice had cut the Jabberwocky's head off and watched as two figures walked towards them. The first was a brown beast with wings and feathers. It had a beak and confident eyes, everything about it demanded attention, and Alice had never seen one before. And next to it was a powdery white horse, except from its skull grew a tall golden horn that shone in the small sunlight that had managed to get through the dark clouds.

Two figures road open the creatures, one on each. And as they grew closer Alice saw that there were people behind them. Many Underlain citizens from all corners of the land must have been there, Alice recognized some from the parry, but most were new, holding weapons like swords and sometimes a bow and arrow. They were fierce and wild, and they were here to help the white queen's army claim victory.

Finally, the two leaders stopped at the battle field ad road up to the White queen. One was a boy and the other a girl. The rider on the feathered creature wore tight black pants and a deep green tunic with a sword while the girl wore a dark green dress and had a bow strapped around her shoulder.

"A griffon," Someone whispered behind her, and Alice's eyes widened slightly. So that was what the creature was called.

"We're sorry we're late your majesty," The boy rider said, his voice reminding Alice of something.

"Yes," The girl added. "We had to get everyone ready to help our champion." She turned took at Alice, and smiled and Alice gripped the Bandersnatch hard so she would fall off it.

"So glad you could join us, Margret." Mirana replied cheerfully.

**Did you guys like it? Margret and Lowell are back! And totally much more amazing. I am sick of building up this fight scene so I'm going to love writing it. I can't wait! Review please! **


	29. It All Comes Together

**I like this chapter, because they are explanations! Yay. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any Alice in Wonderland! **

"Margret?" Alice whispered, putting her sword into its case at her hip and sliding of her Bandersnatch and running towards her sister. Margret was already ahead of her, sliding of her snowy white steed and running towards Alice and they embraced, their arms thrown around each other and faces buried in one another's blonde curls.

"What are you doing here?" Alice asked, her voice muffled by her sister's hair. "I thought..."

"That I would leave you?" Margret asked, her smile growing. "Alice, I stayed behind to help." She looked back at Stayne and frowned. "If hat monster wants a fight, we'll give him a damn good one."

"Margret?" another voice called, and both of the girls turned as their aunt marched through the crowed of solders. She looked much healthier than she had a the hospital, her dark brown curls flying around her face and her beautiful hazel eyes sharp and into the world instead of inside one of her own.

"Aunt….Imogene…" Margret whispered, her eye starting to go over with tears. Their aunt walked closer toward them, Margret dropped her arms and ran towards her. "Aunt Imogene, I'm so sorry. We…we…"

"Margret, it's alright." Imogene whispered, smoothing her eldest niece's hair as she returned the hug. That she'd been given. "I'm alright now, and I'm here to help you."

"What" Margret whispered. "How did you even-?"

"We broke her out," Alice explained. "She needed to help us too."

"Excuse me?" Stayne called from across the field and all three of the girl turned. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to end this war fairly soon."

"Of course, Stayne." Imogene said, pulling a sword from her sheath that she'd been given and holding it in her sure hands. "It's time we rid Underland of the evil known as you."

"Insolent harlot." Stayne exclaimed. "Attack," He called to his army. "Kill them all, epically their champion."

Suddenly, the monsters were charging at Alice and all of the queen's soldiers and it was time to fight." Quickly, she turned to her Bandersntach and grabbed its fur, hoisting herself on top of it.

"Alice," Margret called and Alice turned, seeing her sister onto of her own steep, her bow in her hands, an arrow ready to pull. "Destroy him," She told him, and then, charged off towards battle, sending arrows soaring into the hearts of the enemy.

Alice nodded, reaching for her sword and charging on her friend towards the middle of the field. She would be the one to kill Stayne, no one else.

The bandersnatch attacked anything that was in its path, sending monsters and animals alike, spinning out of its way, and they got farther and farther into the middle of the battle. The Banderntach cried a mightier roar that turned into as shriek of pain as it fell over, sending Alice onto the ground, her sword falling out of her grip.

Desperately, Alice sat up, reaching around for her sword when a loud roar erupted from above her, sending her hair blowing back. She looked up in horror to see the monster creature with the head of a lion standing above her. She reached back again, desperate to get away when something caused it to slide backwards. The Bandersnatch bit into the ruff of its neck, purple green blood flowing from the wound, and it let out another roar. Quickly, its wings were freed and it was flying up with the Bandersnatch in its paws hen released it, sending the furry gray creature into the ground.

"No!" Alice shrieked, finally finding her sword and standing, holding it poised to stab the monster that had just hurt her friend. The Bandersnatch wasn't moving but the Kimreit was, flying down to crouching towards Alice. It was only five feet away now. Four.

"Alice!" Someone cried, and the monster buckled in pain, turning wildly and showing Alice its back as Irisa jammed her sword back down into its back. She looked up suddenly, as if sensing eyes on her.

"Run, Alice run!" She screamed, pulling her sword up about to stab it back inside. Alice nodded, running towards the way she had before when she heard Irisa's name being called out. She looked over her shoulder just long enough to see Irisa get thrown up into the air and then shot down by the Kemreit's tail.

_Keep going, Alice. _She thought, running towards Stayne._ You have to keep going. _

"That's right, Alice." A voice said pleasantly, "You have to keep going."

Alice turned slowly, and felt her heart stop. There he was, standing ten feet away. All around them people fought, swords clashing against one another, people bleeding, crying, hurt beyond the point of trying to go on, but right now Stayne and Alice were in their own tiny bubble.

"My, my, look at you." Stayne said, walking towards her at a leisurely pace. "You've grown so strong since I last saw you, but….things still haven't been easy, have they?"

Alice took a deep breath, raising her sword.

"Uh, uh, uh." Stayne wagged at her with a single gloved finger. "That won't do you any good with the problems I'm talking about. Unless you intend to kill your friend, the Hatter, right?"

Alice didn't even flinch at Stayne's word.

"He has been a rather bad boy, hasn't he?" Stayne asked, still walking closer. "Kissing you a few nights ago, sure he denied it, but you and I, we know the truth, don't we?"

"You don't know anything." Alice said with venom in her words.

"Ah, but your wrong there." Stayne explained. "You see, Alice. You may not have known it, but I know exactly what I'm talking about."

Alice's eyes widened slightly, her sword lowering a bit too. "What do yo-"

"I know about the fight you two had, and the fights after it." Stayne interrupted. "How he knows exactly what to say to hurt you. Remember how horribly you two fought the first time you saw him after Irisa had come back. When you two were alone? You ran away like the child you are."

"Stop it," Alice whispered.

"You were so close to the door, you could have escaped it all, but Iracebeth interrupted you, didn't she?" Stayne continued. "She even said I wouldn't bother to finish what I'd started, but I would. I always do."

Alice took a step back. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, honestly Alice, you really haven't figured it out yet?" Stayne asked, his only eye rolling up to the sky. "The evil thing that idiotic man told you? The lies, the impulses? You think he could have done that all on his own?"

"You mean…" Alice whispered, staring down then looking up and raising her sword. "You did that."

"I must admit, what happened in your bedroom wasn't l my doing, but I did make sure he wouldn't remember it. I only supplied him with the words, nothing more. But the rest, was all me. Every argument, ever lie, ever action, I controlled. He was my puppet, and he wasn't the only one."

"Iracebeth." Alice whispered.

"She was weaker than here was I trashed her mind much more easily, than left her to rot. Trapped in her own madness." Stayne was s till smiling. "Much like your own aunt."

"She's not crazy," Alice growled. "And neither am I. The only one who truly is, is you."

"Ah, such memorable words." Stayne smiled warmly at her. "Will they be your last?"

With a gasp Alice ran towards Stayne, her sword held high. He slashed at him, and took a few steps forward, turning ready to hit him again, but as she looked down, she saw shed missed and only hit him in his arm. Where purple blood was oozing out of his cut.

She took a quick step back while Stayne grinned down at his wound than back at her. "What….what are you?"

"Haven't you figured it out yet, Alice?" Stayne's voice got deeper with every word, his eyes growing darker and he started to grow. "You're going to have to soon if you want any chance to fight me."

Alice took another step back, and another, and then she tripped, tuning to catch her fall, she heard a massive roar behind her, much louder than the Kemreit's had been. And when she turned around onto her back, she saw with horror that where Stayne had been, the Jabberwocky now stood.

**Dun, dun, Dun. Cliff hanger! Actually, lots of cliff hangers. I hope Irisa is not dead….that would suck. Review please! Cause it's SUMMER! **


	30. Goodbye

**Hello people, and let me just say, this is not my last chapter, okay? But this is my longest one yet. So, enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Alcie in Wonderland. **

"What are you?" Alice said, half to herself, taking a few steps back as the Jabberwocky continued to grow.

"You tell me," The beast growled. "Or have you forgotten me already?"

"Stayne," Alice whispered. "You-you're-"

"You aren't the only one that Jabberwocky blood can change, champion," The monster spit out the world like it was in impolite thing to say, the scum of the society. "And you won't be the only one who will die under my power!"

The creature stepped forward, causing the earth to shake and Alice lost her footing. She gripped her sword in hand and then the beast was charging forward. Quickly, she jumped out of the way, but she couldn't find her footing in time and ended up falling to her knees.

"Oh, did you trip?" The monster taunted. "Here, allow me to help you."

Suddenly, Alice was being lifted into the air, by the monster's tail. She struggled fiercely, but it was proven useless at he threw her, and she flew across the field, hitting the very same pillar that lead to the stairs she'd run up to defeat the monster last time. Slowly, she tried to stand, but her legs were still weak and she couldn't, so she laid on her side in pain.. Everything hurt, a lot and she still needed to fight. The monster screamed, and Alice watched as it turned quickly to face her, no it was staring at something behind her.

"Get up," A voice told her, and Alice rolled over and looked up at a figure that was standing at the stairs, holding a sword in hand and decorated in silver armor, similar to Alice's.

"Aunt Imogene?" Alice whispered.

"Get up, Alice." Her aunt repeated, her brown curls flying around her head and shining in the little sun escaping from the clouds. "Now."

Alice nodded, steadily standing up on her knees and then unsteadily to her feet. She turned back to the Jabberwocky that was making its way toward her, and she felt her body go cold. "What do we do?"

"We fight," She replied in a sure voice. "We do what we need to."

Alice took a step toward her aunt on the stairs when a shadow flew over her and then the jabberwocky stood at the stairs, right behind her aunt.

"Aunt Imogene, look out!" Alice screamed as the jabberwocky blew its countlessly colored fire at the two women. Quickly, Alice dove out of the way and hid behind the pillar as it crept towards her. _Where was Aunt Imogene?_

"Come on, Alice." The monster growled, and Alcie felt its breath brush her face. "Come out; come out, where ever you are."

Alice took a deep breath and ran from the other side of the pillar. From this side she saw the monster's side and she jabbed her sword inside it, sending a spray of purple blood all over her.

The monster roared with pain, turning towards her and swatting her with his mighty tail. It nicked her just barley, sending her sliding over to the edge where she nearly fell over, but she grabbed the edge of it and stood. She wasn't backing down again. She looked around. A bit higher and she would be at the place where she'd cut of the jabberwocky's head.

Quickly, Alice ran up the rest of the stairs, jumping over the monster's tail as he turned to snap at her, but she was still faster. She stopped at the top of the stairs, staring down at the ground where more people fought. She tried to scan for Irisa, but she couldn't find her limp friends form in the writhing bodies.

"God luck finding your friend," The monster breathed. "I doubt you'll be able to find the dead unless you are one of them." Quickly, Alice turned and slashed a the monster's eye, stunning it briefly, but soon enough for her to jump on it' neck, and hold onto its scales as it twisted and turned, desperate to get her off. It bucked up, and she flew, holding her sword over her head as she started to fall, ready to throw the blade down and slice through its neck once again. As she got lower, her moment came….

And the monster's head turned up, and grabbed her in its jaws throwing her to the ground.

Alcie fell hard, hitting the ground with a loud thump hat echoed through the world. Her vision went blurry, immensely so, and she looked up as the monster loomed over her.

"See," He told her, his head was right above her, and under that Alice saw his deep chest. "You can't do anything twice. You weren't supposed to come back either, but you still did. And now, you will die."

"No, Stayne." Alice whispered, her fingers gripping tightly on the sword. "You. Will. Die."

She sat up and she threw the sword, it flew straight and true and landed right inside the monsters beating chest where his heart was. The jabberwocky flew back, its massive claws trying to reach for the sword but it slipped easily through his talons. With a wild glare he stared at Alcie who was on her knees now, staring at Stayne with a slow confidant smile.

"Look, Stayne." She said sympathetically. "It seems you do have a heart after all."

"You may think this is over," He screamed, diving for Alcie one last time. "But I won't go alone,"

He collapsed then, his legs finally giving out and his entire being fell to the ground, two feet away from Alice. Finally, Ilosovic Stayne the Knave of hearts was dead.

Then, fighting seemed to stop around Alice. They were acknowledging the death of their leader, or their enemy Alice thought.

"No!" Someone shrieked, their cry echoing throughout the battle field, and Alice jumped up. That was Iracebeth's voice. But how did she come to the battle field? Another scream echoed throughout the battle field, another scream Alice knew all too well.

Then she was running, quickly, she was pushing past people all gazing in the other direction. She forgot everything, the battle, the monster she'd just killed, worries about Irisa, all she was focused on what was one thought. Not her. Not her.

Finally, she stopped, pushing through the finally line of people and ending at the wide circle hat was built around a completely separate battle.

A battle that had been going on for years.

Imogene lay on the ground, Imogne standing above her, her sword at her neck. How had she gotten the sword, Alice might never know, but what she did know was that her aunt was pinned down by a mad women.

"Iracebeth," Mirana called, taking a step forward into the circle. Please, you have to put down the sword."

"You just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you?" Iracebeth whispered, but not to her sister. To the woman pinned down on the ground. "I sent you away, because you loved him, and he never stopped. And as long as you lived, he always would be."

"Iracebeth!" Mirana yelled.

"You are a disease that needs to be rid from this world." Iracebeth whispered raising her sword high. "And I'll be the one to do it."

"No!" Alice exclaimed, and two things happened at the very same time. Iracebeth plunged the sword down into the chest of Imogene, and then, she froze. Her hand went up to her own chest where a small silver handle peaked out from her white dress. Red soaked through the pale fabric, and then, her eyes flew up to the person who had thrown the dagger that had slain her.

The white queen's hand was still out stretched from when she'd thrown it.

The red queen fell back, and hit the ground hard while Alice ran into the circle, sliding down to her knees and grabbing her aunt's shoulders.

"Aunt Imogene, wake up." She cried, shaking her aunt by her shoulders. "Please, you have to wake up. Alice. Alice, wake up."

Her aunt coughed, her nearly closed eyes peering up at her youngest niece. "Alice…." She whispered.

"Yes," Alice whispered. "Yes, I'm here." She looked up. "Someone help us. Please, get some of the venom from the Jabberwocky, or…..or something."

"Alice, Alice shhhh." Her aunt whispered, and she looked back down at her aunt. "Don't worry about me."

"But…" Alice whispered. "You're…"

"I'll be fine," Her aunt continued, coughing slightly, Alice looked away, as more blood spilled from Imogene's lips. "I'm….I'm ready."

"No," Alice whispered, leaning in as tears started to flow. "I'm not. You can't go, not now. I, I just….we…"

"Alice, child." Imogene whispered. "You need to let me go. I'm ready….I'm an old woman, it's my time. I'll be fine."

"No," Alice denied. "It's not your time, we can….we can save you. Make you better. Please, just hold on." Alcie looked up at the group of faces, they were all shedding silent tears, and Alice's eyes met with Margret's, her own sorrow mirrored in her sisters'. And she knew that there was nothing she could do.

"Alice," Imogene's voice was quiet now.

"Yes?" Alice said in a voice just as quiet.

"Tell me a story," Her aunt pleaded. "Please."

Alice nodded, taking a deep breath. "Once upon a time, there was a girl…her name was Alice. She fell down a hole and into a world with…strange creatures and beauty like she'd never seen before."

"What kind of creatures?" Her aunt asked.

"There was, a dormouse." Alice whispered. "And a cat who disappeared. And a butterfly who smoked a hookah, and a white rabbit who was always late and a hare who loved tea. And there was a queen, with white hair and a mad hatter who made the most beautiful hats." She took a deep breath. "And there was a prince. A beautiful man who fell in love with a beautiful girl."

"Did they live happily ever after, Alice?" Her aunt whispered her voice barely above a whisper.

Alice nodded. "They lived happily ever after,"

"That's a nice story…..." Her aunt's words were getting softer and she took a deep breath. "I can see him…"

"Who?" Alice asked.

"I can see him," Imogene's face twisted into a smile. "He's waiting for me. Like he always has. Always,"

Alice smiled. "I love you."

Imogne looked up at Alice, with a light in her dying diming eyes. "As do I." She stopped, looking around the group that had assembled from the battle field, her very last motion. "Thank you," That was her aunt's finally words, then, her chest stopped breathing, her heart finally stopped and the life finally left her. She died with a smile on her face, and Alice let all the tears finally fall. Two Alices went into the battle that day, and only one left the battlefield.

**Is anyone else really sad? Because I am. I'm gonna miss Imogne, or Alcie or whatever he name is. But at least she got to be with Phelan in the end, so yay. Review please? **


	31. Not Ready

**Chapter 31 and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have like 35 chapters or so, one being an epilogue. So, don't fall off the face of the earth any time soon. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any Alice in Wonderland! **

Imogene was buried the next day, in the large garden by the castle. Her headstone was placed into the head of the dirt and words were carved into the stone.

_Imogene Alice Pleasance Liddell. The girl who started it all. Aunt, Sister and mystery. We'll never forget you. _

Alice had those seventeen words memorized already as she walked down the palace steps with her sister by her side. They were both wearing long black dresses, except Margret's hair was pulled back into a long delicate braid. Alice wouldn't tie her hair back yet. Mirana had asked what Alice wanted to write on her aunt's headstone, but she wouldn't answer her, so Margret decided to write them. They were beautiful, like Imogene was but they still felt so tiff, so unreal. Like this was all a dream, but instead it was a never ending nightmare that Alice still couldn't wake up from.

The one thing Alice did have written on the Headstone was something that you could only see from the back. The entire stone was barley a few inches from the ground and about a foot wide. It was placed along where Imogene's body would be in a large part of the garden, near a tree that would shade it and surrounded by beautiful flowers. It was somewhere Imogene would have loved. Alice had asked that a poem be written at the back of the stone, words you'd only be able to read if you were looking for them. It was a secret message for her aunt.

They carried Imogene's body in a dark box that had been used for Underlandian funerals, similar to a coffin but different as well. Alice watched silently while they lowered it into a dark spot in the ground, a whole that would forever hold Imogene's body, and then everyone was silent for a moment. She wouldn't look at the people who surrounded her. Mctwisp whose head was down and Mallmkun who was wearing a tiny black shirt, minus her needle. Thackery who was holding onto a small tea cup, or Nicholas who was staring down at the hole like he still couldn't believe it was where Alice's aunt would forever lay.

Irisa was there too, leaning on the Hatter slightly. She'd managed to escape the battle with a sprained ankle and a few cuts and bruises. She wore a black dress with nothing fantastic about it, and hatter was dressed similarly. He even had his heat in his hand instead of his head.

Mirana said the words that a priest would have. She wore black for the first time ever, and she looked as sad as Alice felt. She'd lost someone too, the person that had killed the very woman that Mirana was burying in her garden.

"We are gathered here, to honor the memory of Imogene Alice Pleasance Liddell." She said in a clear voice. "A woman who'd found Underland years before our champion had, and who had befriended many before she was taken away and sent back to the world she'd come from. She gave her life in the line of battle, and helped our champion slay the monster that had plagued our world once again. She was also, the aunt of Alice and helped her more than I can imagine." Mirana looked over at Alice as if she expected her to say something, and instead, Margret nodded and grabbed Alice's hand, bringing her sister to where Mirana had stood, but now stood along with the other many onlookers.

Margret turned to Alice and pleaded with her eyes for her sister to say something, but Alice said nothing and finally Margret sighed and turned back to the rest of the group.

"I wasn't as close to my aunt as I should have been." Margret admitted. "For a long time, I thought she was….just crazy. She used to tell us that she was engaged to a prince, but he couldn't be with her or else forfeit the crown, and now I know that's true. I know that Imogene was in love with a man who she couldn't be with, and that she belonged to a world that I didn't even know existed. And it's that world that my sister belongs to as well."

Alice looked up at her sister now instead of at the ground while she continued. "I know that my sister might not have always felt like she belonged in London, and now I know that's true. And Imogene didn't either. She belonged to the world where it was okay to be different and improper and wild. And I know that if Imogene was here right now….she would have told me that I belonged here too. But I don't."

Margret turned to her sister. "Alice, you're just like Imogene and you're just like our father. And I know he would have given anything to see what you were like on the battle field yesterday." Margret grabbed her sister's shoulders, making her look up and into her eyes. "Alice, I love you and so does everyone here. And Imogene loved you too, and she wouldn't want this. She would want you to stand up and say something, because you knew her best of all. But you're just…..standing here and doing nothing."

Alice stared at her sister and then at the rest of the group and took a deep breath. "What do you want me to do, Margret?" Alice asked in a quiet voice. "Because I don't know anymore! She was the only one who could understand what I've been going through, and couldn't save her. I could have stopped Iracebeth, and I could have saved her but I didn't. And now I'll l never know anything about her. You're all ready to let her go, but I'm not!" Alice couldn't take it anymore, quickly, she shook of Margret's and ran around the hole and then through the people that were making a path for her. And Alice did the thing she was best at, she ran away from everyone. And she kept running until she was in her old room, and she locked the door and breathed heavily for a long time, then, she grabbed her aunt's book and held it close to her body and walked over to the window that lea=d out to the balcony and she turned away from it, and sat down on the ground and pulled her knees close to her body and just sat there, willing the world to stop and just leave her alone.

**Alice is having issues, just another thing I'm going to have to resolve in the next few chapters. Yay! Please review! **


	32. Starting Again

**Chapter 32 and I'm excited! You'll find out soon, not this soon though soon. Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Aiw. Abbreviations are so much easier. **

After two days of silence, Alice awoke to someone banging on her front door.

"Go away," Alice groaned, pulling her arms closer around her as she willed the knocking to stop, but it kept going and eventually, it did stop. Then, there was a noise like gears moving and then the sound of a door swinging open and then someone was walking into her room.

"Alice," Irisa said softly. "You need to get up."

Alice shook her head not facing Irisa. "Irisa, leave me alone."

Irisa sighed and then flopped down onto the bed next to Alice, her dark hair spraying across the pillow. "Alice, I need to tell you something. Very important."

Alice turned to Irisa. "What?"

"You need to get up and get out of your room, now." Irisa demanded. "And you're going to go downstairs and get on with your life."

Alice turned away from Irisa again. "Leave me alone."

"No, you're going to get out of this room today," Irisa said, standing up and putting her hand son her hips. "Now up, Alice."

Alice sighed. "Irisa, I just want to-"

"You're not the only one who's lost someone," Irisa said, softly. "Remember your sister? She's been waiting for you to come out of your room for days." 

Alice pulled her legs close to her body and wrapped her arms around them. "I don't want to."

"You know, you're not the first one to lose someone you loved." Irisa said, still in the soft tone of voice. "At least you still have some of your family."

Alice sat up and stared at her friend. "You lost your entire family."

Irisa nodded. "On the day that was supposed to be the happiest one of my life."

Alice dropped her gaze. 'What did you do?"

Irisa sighed, and crossed her legs. "Well, after Stayne locked me into my room, I laid around in my bedroom and didn't really do anything either."

Alice gave her friend a look, and Irisa smiled. "Yes, but then, I got up and I realized they wouldn't want me to do this. I needed to get on with my life, even though I was being held against my own will. I still went on with your life. And you need to too."

Alice shook her head. "I know I do, but….I just…."

"I know it's hard that she's gone," Irisa said with a knowing look. "But, eventually you're going to realize that while she's gone, you're still around to remember her."

Alice smiled for the first time in days. "You a good friend, Irisa."

Irisa nodded. "That's why I'm your best friend."

Alice nodded when someone else knocked on the door and Nicholas's head popped in. "So you're alive,"

Alice opened her mouth to speak while Irisa grabbed a pillow and tossed it at the door. "Not funny, Nicholas."

Nicholas smiled and walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. "Are you okay?"

For some reason Alice thought that the joke was directed at both o mf them, and she nodded.

"We're both fine," Irisa said, and the she turned to Alice. "I'm going to round everybody up, okay? We have things to discuss." She grinned at her friend and stood up, walking to the door and delicately squeezing herself through the doorway, leaving Alice and Nicholas alone.

Alice smiled at him, a hesitant but warm smile and Nicholas flashed his own slightly crooked smile and walked over to her bed where he sat on the end and coked his head at her.

"You know it's like looking at a ghost," He admitted.

Alice nodded, and pulled off the rest of her blankets and crawled over to where Nicholas sat, wrapping her arms around him. "I've missed you so much, Nicholas."

Nicholas returned Alice's hug with a tight one of his own. "Me too, Alice. What have you been doing up there, anyway? See Hamish lately?"

Alice grinned, crossing her arms across her chest. "And what if I have? Don't tell me you'd be jealous."

Nicholas grabbed his chest in mock horror. "Me? Jealous? Honestly."

Alice rolled her eyes. "I have seen Hamish; he's changed a little bit." She smiled at Nicholas. "But he's pretty much given up all hope of me being his bride."

Nicholas grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Took him long enough." He reached into his pocket and pulled out something. "I believe this is yours."

Alice smiled and took the piece of appear from his hand, unfolding it and then nearly dropping the thing entirely. One it was a drawing of Alice, when she'd fallen on the stairs. Except now instead of staring back she was staring forward. But what made her want to drop the paper was what was standing in front of her.

Her aunt looked like she had when she'd appeared out of nowhere telling Alice to get up and fight. Now she stood in front of her niece with her sword in and, her brown curls flying back as if the Jabberwocky was breathing its warm breath onto the two women.

"Nicholas…." Alice was at a loss for words.

"I saw you when you were eon your back, and I couldn't forget it." Nicholas explained. "I thought you would like it. "

Alice turned to her friend with tears in her eyes. "You have no idea what this means to me,"

Nicholas shrugged. "I can assume,"

Alice sighed and stared at the picture, the memory of that day in battle still fresh in her mind. "You should do this for a living."

Nicholas laughed. "My father would have a heart attack."

Alice turned to her friend suddenly. "Why?"

Nicholas shrugged. "Don't you remember? He's been building me up to take over the family business. Ever since I was born he's told me that when I grow up I'll be a doctor. His great grandfather was one and his son and then my father and so, I have to be."

Alice sighed. "That's not fair."

Nicholas nodded. "I know, but, it's something I'll have to do, if I ever decide to go back that is."

Alice nodded in agreement. "You know that they all think we've run off and gotten married. Or at least they did until I came back, that is."

Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

Alice nodded and then she stood, walking over to her closet and pulling out a blue dress that she always enjoyed. "You should leave now, Nicholas."

"Why?" Nicholas asked, starting to stand.

"Because," Alice explained. "Just because they think we're engaged doesn't mean you can see me undress."

**A little joke here and it's sweet, awkward and corny, but sweet. Review please! **


	33. Like Old Times

**Chapter 33 and this one is shorter than most of my chapters but it has a cliff hanger so it's alright I guess. Now read! Because I wrote this chapter over like three times and i finally got it right! Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Alice in Wonderland, but I don't. **

Later that day, everyone sat down at the long table that hosted so many of the amazing tea parties that Alice had come to love with all of her heart. Hatter sat at the head of course, with Alice next to him and Mirana across from her. Next was Irisa on Alice's side and Nicholas on the other, and then Chess, Mally and Margret and Lowell, while Thackery, Mctwisp and the tweedles sat on the other side. Bayard and his wife sat on chairs next to one another while their pups darted and played under the table, knocking into chairs and disrupting guests.

Everyone passed around cups and cakes and everyone was smiling talking over one another and sending pieces of food and tea all over the beautiful table. It was the best tea party that Alice had ever been to, and all of her friends were there.

"Alice try this one." Nicholas said, handing Alice a cookie that was frosted with green and blue. "It's delicious."

Alice grinned at her friend. "You sure I won't grow?"

Nicholas sighed. "Where's the trust?"

Alice took the cookie from him and bit into it. It exploded with flavor like nothing Alice had ever had before.

"Oh, I love those." Irisa said with a grin, handing Alice a cup. "You'll love this to go with it."

"You're going to over feed her you know," Hatter said with his own smile, leaning his chin on his fist as he gazed at Irisa.

"Oh come on," Irisa whined. "She's never had them, has she? I want to make sure she tries absolutely every single one."

'"And Nicholas is helping you?" Alice asked.

Irisa nodded. "Of course,"

"So, Alice?" Mirana asked, sipping her tea delicately. "Do you think you'll be visiting London soon?"

Alice shook her head. "I don't think I'm returning."

"Underland needs her more than London does," Lowell joked and Margret rolled her eyes at him.

"Honestly, Alice." Margret said. "You should visit us some day, we'll all miss you. Maybe even Hamish,"

Alice laughed at that. "Maybe,"

"What about you, Nicholas?" Chess asked. "Do you have any plans on returning to London?"

Nicholas shrugged. "Well, I've been thinking about it, but I'm not really sure yet."

"You could be an artist here," Alice said brightly.

"I suppose I could," Nicholas mused. "But, I would have loved to draw things up there. And maybe even draw things that I've seen here."

"I think you should go," Irisa said softly, and they're gazes met. "You could be a brilliant artist, Nicholas."

"Hatter, tell us what it was like in London." Mallymkun said.

"Yeah," Tweedle agreed. "Tell us,"

"Please tell us," Tweedle Dum begged.

"Well," Hatter said, lifting his arm and placing it on the table. "It was the strangest place I'd ever been. Did you know, that people would have thought my hat was strange , so Alice asked me not to wear it."

"But you're the Hatter!" Mally protested. "And a Hatter without a hat is….well…"

"A Hatter without a hat?" Chess suggested.

"S-strange." Thackery agreed.

Mctwisp nodded. "It's a scary place alright."

"London isn't that strange," Margret retorted. "It's a lovely place. We may not have all the things here, but it's still a nice place."

"I'm sure we'd all be lucky to visit such a place," Mirana pointed out.

"And I walked into a shop once," Hater continued. "And he asked if I wanted to buy tea."

"Buy tea?" Thackery exclaimed and Mallymkun shook her head.

Lowell shook his own head. "You're making it sound like a mad house. It's actually quite normal,"

"I'm sure your normalcy differs from theirs, Lowell." Alice pointed out and Margret laughed at Lowell's widen eyes. "So, why did you two stay in Underland, after all? Besides to get an army ready?"

"We knew you were going to war," Margret explained. "And we wanted to make sure you'd be alright. And we wanted to learn more about this world."

"It's true," Lowell agreed. "Your sister wouldn't let us leave until she was absolutely sure that you'd be safe here." 

Margret glared at her husband playfully, elbowing him in the stomach. "Lowell, you're asking me sound like I forced you to stay."

Lowell grinned, his smile somewhat close to Chess's. "Well…."

"Um, everyone?" Irisa asked, standing up and Alice looked at her friend curiously. She sounded much different than she usually did, and she actually looked a bit, hesitant. This had to be important. "I'd like to tell you something."

"Is everything alright?" Alice asked.

"Relax," She told her and looked back at the rest of the group. "These past few weeks I've been keeping a secret from you all. Except Mirana she's known for a while." Irisa sat down and ran a hand through her hair. "Wow, how do I say this."

"Come on then," Mallymkun said from her end of the table standing on her small chair. "Out with it."

"Alright, alright." Irisa said, with a shy grin. "Everyone….I'm pregnant."

**Tell me someone expected this. And if people go to my house tonight with torches and pitch forks, this story will never get done! Review please! **


	34. At Last

**Alright, first of all, let me just say that I love all your comments, but I don't really enjoy people telling me what to do. My story is the way I write it and though it doesn't always seem like it, I do know what I'm doing. I brought Irisa in because I wanted her to balance out Nicholas, because Nicholas caused Alice not to get with the Hatter, almost as much as Irisa did. Just because I put down my story involving Alice and Hatter doesn't mean it's just going to be the and no one else, I like my stories because their lives intertwine with others, and it makes things more interesting and real. And if you don't like that, stop reading. But, i do get where your coming from. Maybe I'm being to clynical. oh well. Sorry about my little rant, Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland. **

Everyone just stared at the girl with the rainbow eyes.

Alice, surprising, was the one to recover first. "Irisa….that's wonderful." She stood and hugged her friend. "Congratulations." She looked over at Hatter while she hugged her friend and saw that his face was utterly white and his eyes where sparkling topaz. "Congratulations,"

He still looked stunned, and Nicholas was actually the one to say something. "Um…..Alice?"

"Actually," Irisa sighed and turned to the Hatter. "I'm not finished…" She sighed and clasped her hands in front of her chest, over her unborn child. "Hatter, I don't know exactly how to say this….but…."

"What is it?" Margret asked.

"Hatter," Irisa shut her eyes and then said quickly. "Hatter you're not the father."

Everyone went just as silent as the Hatter. And this time, Hatter spoke. "I know,"

"You know?" Alice asked.

"Well," Tarrant admitted. "We've never…..well…..And I know that I couldn't be the father." He raised an eyebrow at his wife. "But, I do wonder who the father is."

Irisa flushed, and so did Nicholas, so the answer was as clear as if it was said. Only Hatter said in a quiet voice. "I see,"

"Tarrant, I'm sorry." Irisa pleaded, tears threatening to spill over her eyes. "It's just…." She looked over at Nicholas. "You know I love you, I always have but it's just well….not the same."

The rest of the meal went on in an awkward silence, and finally it was over, and they all returned to where they were supposed to go.

. . .

"Are you angry with me?" Irisa asked, appearing out of thin air as Alice stared up at the luminescent moon Twilight that fallen over the land quickly and silently, and Alice had watched it at her balcony, like she'd done so many times.

"No," Alice replied, tuning to face her friend. "Why would I? It's not your fault you're pregnant."

"Oh, I don't mean that." Irisa said a matter of factly, leaning against the balcony's stone wall. "I mean, about me. Just me."

Alice turned and faced her friend. "What do you mean?"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Irisa asked, her oddly tinted eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "I was always in the way. Of you and Tarrant," She smiled softly. "I as his wife, a long ago memory and I didn't even give him the chance to as if he wanted to stay with me. And I didn't think of anyone else. And now I'm back again, interrupting everyone else's lives. But….I'm kind of glad in a way too."

"You're confusing me Irisa," Alice said softly. "You're glad you stood in the way of us?"

"Oh, no." Irisa shook her black hair. "I'm sorry about getting in the way of you too, yes, but now I'm kind of glad." She smiled at Alice's blank look. "This is kind of like, I don't know, me trying to get you together I suppose." So, I mean…." She held out her hands and made a little pushing motion. "Go, go get him."

"Alice smiled. "Well, if you put it _that_ way." She cocked her head slightly. "What are you going to do about Nicholas?"

"Oh, well probably go to London." Irisa explained. "I want to go there too." She shrugged, "Maybe we'll even travel the world like he wants to, but we won't be able to tell his father though. We'll probably even start going by my last name instead of his. At least, my maiden name. Nicholas and Irisa Carroll."

Alice smiled at her friend. "I'm glad you two have a plan."

Irisa smiled just as someone knocked on the door. With a mischievous grin, she ran inside the room and opened it, then it shut once and then a single pair of footsteps came out into the balcony.

"Good evening," He said with a gapped tooth grin, tipping his hat.

Alice smiled, much bigger than Chessur could ever have. "Hello, Hatter."

He walked over to where Alice stood and they just stood at each other, smiling. He looked much more different from what he had when she'd last saw him at the table, his face pale with shock, and his eyes were greener than Alice had ever seen them.

"Do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk yet?" Alice asked.

Hatter shook his head, his smile somehow growing. "Haven't any idea in the slightest."

Alice nodded. "Neither do I,"

The two were quiet again, an awkward silence that neither knew how to get out of. But finally, Hatter found a way.

"Alice I'm sorry for….the things that I said to you," He said and then his voice got quicker. "The things that Stayne had made me say, but that is no excuse that I said them. I also apologize for not believing you and what happened in your bedroom. I hadn't the slightest memory of what happened,"

"Hatter," Alice said quietly.

"And I want you to know that I'm not sorry that Irisa loves Nicholas. I am not sorry in the least." He continued. "And I know how that may sound but-"

"Hatter," Alice said a little louder.

"I'm not. And that's because I am in love with you. I am in love with you Alice Kingsley. I haven't always been in love with you, where as you were only a child when you first came to Underland but after you came the second time I felt new feelings towards you. More than I'd felt to Mirana or Mally and when you left it absolutely-"

"Hatter!" Alice cried, and both their hands went to their mouths while they just stared back at each other.

"Hatter….."Alice whispered, then took a deep breath. "I love you too,"

Hatter's eyes widened. "You, still?"

Alice nodded. "I don't care, if Stayne made you say cruel things to me, or that your wife is in love with my best friend, or that everything lately has been utterly and completely upside down." She grabbed his hands and held them tightly in her own. "I love, you. I love you Tarrant Hightopp."

They stood there for a few seconds, each taking in each other words as well as their own, and finally, after both of them have wanted to for so long, they leaned in and their lips touched.

**Okay, do any of you really think I would let Hatter even touch Irisa like that? Um, no. But Nicholas, as i said in the beginning is free game. This is not my very last chapter though, there is actually going to be an epilogue next, so keep your eyes open. Review please! **


	35. Epilogue

**Chapter 35, and the finally chapter! So read! Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: You should all know by now I do not own any Alice in Wonderland. **

As Alice put on the dress that she'd wanted to wear for months, she felt happier than she had ever been in her life. The maids had arranged her hair to fall down her shoulders and nearly to her wait in elegant curls, and they patted down the dress and pulled them into place a lot, till it was absolutely perfect. Alice had found the dress months ago, buried in the back of her closet with a note from Irisa.

_Dearest Alice, _

_Since I've already gone, where ever it is I am at the moment, I want you to have at least something to wear on your wedding day. I hope it will be the happiest of your life like mine was, and will be. Nicholas told me it was a custom that the husband never sees the dress until she walks down the aisle and that you need something old and something new, something borrowed and something blue, so I already covered the new and borrowed. I'm sure you can figure out the rest. _

_Best wishes, Irisa. _

It was the kind of thing Irisa was known for, arranging something that she knew Alice was sure to find, and now Alice was wearing a dress that Irisa had made her. Lace surrounded her around her neck, and then going down to her arms and fingers, it linked against her middle fingers, and then went back up to her arms. It was stunning. It tied up in the back, and white fabric cut along her chest in a heart shape. The skirt was long and white, like newly fallen snow, it fell delicately around her, stopping and dragging at the floor. It was surrounded by lace too, so it did look like she'd stepped out of a blizzard and it was the most beautiful thing she'd worn. Actually, the most beautiful dress, because the most thing beautiful thing She'd ever worn was something she cherished with all her life and was now sitting on her dresser.

It was a silver ring with a large crystal surrounded by smaller ones, and then trailing down the band. It was her engagement ring that he'd actually made himself, and it made her heart swell at the memory of him making her sit down on the edge of the fountain and proposed to her.

She smiled walking to her closet and pulling out a lacy white garter which she put around her left leg. She was almost perfect, as she strolled to her bedside, and pulled out a small box and then a crystal necklace that had her aunt's name engraved on the back, and fighting away tears clasped it around her neck. The finally, she picked up her veil, and place d it delicately on her head. It was long, nearly reaching her waist the edges were surrounded by crystals that shivered blue in the light. She as perfect and she was ready.

"Alice?" A maid called, a girl with pale white hair tied up into a bun and wearing a silver dress with a blue ribbon tied around her body. The colors they'd decided for their wedding were silver and midnight blue and their wedding would be at night. "We're ready for you."

Alice nodded, and pulled her veil, over her head, following the younger girl down the long hall and then outside. She stopped at the doors, and then the girl turned and picked up a bouquet of roses, blue and silver ones that only grew in Underland and were hard to find.

"Are you ready?" She asked, her entire body shaking with anticipation, and Alice nodded. The girl smiled and then started down the hallway, exiting form a different door. Music played behind the door Alice stood in front of, and she took a deep breath. Then, the double doors opened and she was blinded with light.

The yard of the garden behind the castle had been transformed. The stairs edges were surrounded with flowers, and people sat on two sides that split into an aisle. At the end wads Mirana, who would be the one marrying Hatter and Alice. To her right stood a row of girls wearing the smile dresses the little one that handed Alice her bouquet a few seconds ago. Mallmkun stood in front of them, holding a small basket of flower petals. Thackery, Tweedle De and Dum, Chessur and Mctwsip on the other side and then, wearing a blue jacket and a silver tie, with his hat place don his head and his eyes glowing green, was Hatter waiting for her. And she was ready for him.

. . .

"Come on," Nicholas called, running farther down the street, towards the docks. "Come on, she needs you know."

"I'm coming, I'm coming." The doctor replied. His name was Dr. Fredrick; he had gray hair thinning on top of his head and had tired brown eyes, wearing a white shirt and black pants as Nicholas ran ahead of him. "I'm going as fast as I can."

"Not fast enough," Nicholas mumbled under his breath, running towards the docks and looking back over his shoulder to make sure the Doctor was keeping up. He ran up the long piece of wood that led people cross onto the boat and then ran down to the cabin room where his wife was. The boat life was easy for Irisa, she loved every minute of it, ever since they climbed onto the boat a few short months ago, thanks to Alice and her letter.

She'd arranged that Nicholas would be Lord Ascots new apprentice and his newly wed wife could come too, and now they were about to add a third member to their family.

"Irisa?" Nicholas called, pushing a dark curl away from his eyes.

"I'm here!" Irisa called, and then she gasped in pain. Her husband stormed into their room, and went to his wife's bedside. She was lying in bed, panting heavily, gasping with pain for every breath.

"Nicholas," Irisa gasped, grabbing onto her husband's hand. "You're back,"

Nicholas nodded. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You better have brought the damn doctor," Irisa said with a grimace just as the doctor walked in panting slightly.

"Ah, there you are," He said and knelt down near Irisa, pulling the blanket over her. "It's almost time,"

Irisa looked over at Nicholas with a glare.

"He was the only one I could find," He whispered, squeezing Irisa's hand.

Nicholas watched as the Doctor got ready for the birth and Irisa's screams got louder and finally, the doctor said in an excited voice. "It's crowning."

Then, like magic, there was a baby in Fredrick's hands.

"It's a boy!" He cried and Irisa sighed, leaning back into her pillows. "A boy," she breathed.

The doctor wrapped the child in a blanket brought from home, and then handed him to Irisa, while Nicholas cradled Irisa, his arm under her light body while she held their son.

"Lewis Carroll," Irisa whispered with a smile. "We have so many stories to tell you,"

The End

**See what I did there at the end? Irony. The best kind of comedy. Lol, thank you all very much for all you've done and read. Marykim20, fallinginslowmotion, I Dream In Color, NTDWY, CoolHotSmartCookie, Dimitriluvrforeva, Steph5756lovestwilight, Tides of Gray, ZeMonstarrOfSquishy, James Birdsong, Gleekfreak4eva, catsgomao, xXJessieRoseXx, deathroman13, NamelessSaint, MadGinge2012, MadAsAHatter, Arella's Music of the Night, patience, LinnyLou1993 6, Kesterel 77, Sailor FoxFire, Ruella Roses. You've all reviewed my story, given me advice and pretty much have been there for me when I needed something to make me smile an di love you all! And BTW, I'm playing around with the idea of like a story after all this. Kind of like, what happened to they're kids and stuff like that. Still kicking around ideas, if you have any leave 'em in a review or pm me. Have a great summer! Fairfarren All! **


	36. Wanna Help Me?

**Hello all, yes it is your favorite weird fan fiction obsessed Author, me! **

**I know, I know Alice why the heck do you keep putting little messages at the end of your stories, aren't they done already? **

**Well, I am sorry for doing that, but I have a job and i need all of you to help! **

**I have written two, that's right two, fan fiction first chapters. Now, I want to know what you all think before I post those two chapters, so I won't be posting all of them, because I've yet to name them….. **

**Now, why am I showing them to you? Because you are my loyal readers, who give me the best feedback. And who better to give it to me then the people who made my latest AiW story have over one hundred reviews? (Still extremely amazed about that!)**

**If you have an idea for a name, leave a review, because I suck at naming… I really do. **

**So without further ado, here's the first one. **

**. . . **

"Why were you up there?" Aurora asked, leaning her head back to gaze up high where I once was while I lay at the floor beneath her feet. "It can't be very comfortable."

I pushed myself up, leaning heavily on my hands and knees before I just moved back to my knees, staring up at Aurora. "For you maybe,"

She smiles at me, kneeling down to my height and holding out her hand, a cool slender and pale palm with tiny skilled fingers, that I grab and she pulls me up. That's one good thing about a twin sister, I suppose. She's always there to help me up when I fall.

I smile at her, with her blondish curly hair that shines red most times when the light hits it just right, and her pretty green eyes, just like dads. I didn't get that at all. My hair is bright red, like wild berries or blood, and my eyes change like dad's do except mine are much more….temperamental. Sadly, the only thing that is the same between my mother and I, is our pale skin. And our name.

"We need to go make preparations for our party," Aurora said brightly, practically trembling with joy. We would be fourteen in about a month, and she was absolutely ecstatic about the whole thing. I was too, but not as much as she was. Another opposite thing between me and my sister, she was loud, but I was silent and soft spoken.

"Come on, Alice," Aurora taunted, raising a single light eyebrow. She knew that I hated when people called me that, and that I rather be called by my middle name, much to my parent's annoyance.

"Alice," My mother had said for the first tie when I was six. She was a happy women, I'd rarely ever seen her in a bad mood but I've seen her annoyed, her brow furrowed like whenever her curiosity lead her to a new problem she wanted to solve. "Why don't you like being called by your name?"

"Because I'm not!" I'd said, stamping my foot, and crossing my arms. I was a stubborn little girl, and with my red eyes and red hair, I looked like a monster, but I stayed firm. "I'm not. And I don't want to be."

So from then on, from the moment I could talk and understand my name I refused to be known by it. Called myself, Penelope and I wanted everyone to call me that as well, but certain people, like my sister, enjoyed picking on me.

. . .

Next!

. . .

My phone buzzes again and I reach for it, reading another message from Morgan. I can always count on her to be there when I feel bad, and I've been feeling like that ever since Dad started dating Katie. I like her well enough, and I don't think Dad's rushing anything. Mom's been dead for over ten years, and he deserves to be happy, but I guess Katie just won't ever be my real mom, like she always tries to be. I'm not seven like Allie is, she'll never remember mom the way she was.

It's not like that's all I can think about, I'm sure I'm pretty much just like any teenager, I can hate my dad for some of the things he does, like taking us on a sudden trip to England without our consent, but I know he loves me. It isn't like I'm going out and keeping piercings or tattoos or having sex. Kids my age are already parents. Still, I guess there's something wrong with me. Oh well,

I write a quick message back to Morgan, but it won't go though, so I raise my phone, no single.

_Dang,_ I thought, raising my phone as a small bar started to grow and I walked over to the end of the hedges where it got stronger. _Maybe if I go over here_…. I slide around the hedge that's about a foot and a half thick, and then into the forest, while my tiny bar stays the same.

Where'd you go? I think, raising my hand higher, which helps a little even though I'm only about five foot five. Suddenly, I turn around, and then all I can see are trees, how far did I go? I take a step back, but then turn around again, _maybe I went this way, no, no I went…..ugh._

I sigh, putting my phone back in my pocket, jam my hands in my sweatshirt and start heading north, the trees overhead shaking as the wind winds around them making tiny sounds that go harmoniously with every step I take. And then, I break onto a hill, trees parting into a large circle with a tall tree at the top. I start running, and then lean against its dead trunk, gazing back at the Ascot manor that I can see from here. It looks awesome, the perfect picture. I raise my phone, taking a step back, and then another.

_Almost there, maybe just a few more inches back_, I take one last step, and feel my foot sliding into nothingness and when I turn, my other foot slides too, so I fall, straight down into the dark oblivion and my screams echo across the walls.

**So, there you go. Tell me if you think that either one of them have some serious like idk potential. The first is about Alice and Hatter's children, and I'm thinking about making it have to do with Irisa and Nicholas to, and the other is about a girl in our time and age who falls down he rabbit hole, but she doesn't find the Underland we know and love. It's something else. It's cold and gray and creepy and a lot has changed. **

**Fairfarren and thank you for reading! **


	37. Just So you Know

**Hello people of the world. I know what you're thinking, Alice why do you keep bothering us? Hasn't this story been long over, well I just wanted to say I have finally gotten started on the sequel series to my Alice in Wonderland trilogy featuring Alice and the Hatter's children. AND this will most likely feature Irisa and Nicholas, your favorite OC couple. **

**The story is labeled as The Champion's daughters, and I hope you decide to check it out soon and not totally hate me fore posting this because how else will I be able to communicate with all of you? Or ask if you want me to write any certain stories that go beyond Alice in Wonderland. ;) **

**Fairfarren for now, **

**Alice J. Nightshade. **


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